ECB dismisses ‘hypothesis’ about 12-team Premier League however Division Two counties in darkish
It appeared a good distance off when Nottinghamshire’s squad {photograph} was interrupted by a snowstorm at Trent Bridge on Thursday morning, however the English season begins subsequent week with a spherical of eight County Championship fixtures with the competitors beneath extra scrutiny than ever.
After two years through which the construction of the home first-class sport was altered by the pandemic, the Championship reverts to 2 uneven divisions in 2022, with ten groups in Division One and eight in Division Two. This format was initially deliberate to be launched in 2020, and ending positions for 2019 have been honoured, a lot to the aid of top-tier counties who’ve struggled within the final two years and the irritation of second-flight groups who’ve punched above their weight.
Notts have extra proper to really feel aggrieved than most. They had been relegated in 2019 after a winless season, however made important strides in 2021 as they completed third, 4 factors behind champions Warwickshire in a six-team Division One after topping their early-season convention.
“We’re all disappointed that we’re in Division Two but those were the rules that they came up with, and that was the vote that was carried out,” Mick Newell, their director of cricket, added. “There’s no point blaming the ECB. It wasn’t their vote; the counties voted for this system. We feel that last year we were the third best team in the country, but we’ve got to prove it again. If we play as well as we did last year, I think we’ll be okay.”
The ECB issued a press release on Thursday morning dismissing as “speculation” and “not true” newspaper studies that the Championship could possibly be cut up right into a 12-team ‘Premier League’ and a six-team second division. County chief executives had been advised the identical factor in a gathering on Wednesday.
“The terms of reference for the Strauss report are not out yet,” Rob Andrew, Sussex’s chief govt, mentioned on Thursday. “There’ll be a game-wide consultation – coaches, players, media, PCA, fans. This is going to be a massive piece of work. I understand why you want to ask questions on this but it’s all speculation.
“Anyone that’s writing something in newspapers for the time being is making it up. Till this course of begins and the session is labored via to regardless of the finish result’s, you are all speculating.”
But for second-division counties, the lack of clarity is a frustration. Their finishing positions in 2022 will determine which division teams play in next year, but it may not become apparent until the final weeks of the season whether teams need to finish in the top one, two or three to get promoted. In the event of a radical restructure – three divisions of six, for example – it may be that no teams in this season’s Division Two are promoted at all.
“Everybody can be considering a bit bit about 2023 with out actually realizing what they’re taking part in for,,” Newell said. “I am undecided we’ll get [clarity] very quickly. However clearly, there can be that realisation that if you happen to’re not within the high two, you’ll undoubtedly not be in a Division One in 2023.
“Division Two is going to be interesting. Durham are obviously coming back well; Sussex have strengthened their batting which had been a problem; Middlesex I think will be good with their new coach. Nobody is saying it’s a foregone conclusion that Notts will be in the top two, but it should be a good, competitive division.”
“If we won the division this year and then didn’t go into Division One, after getting more points than anyone else last year [across both phases of the season], then you’d think the system is wrong,” Moores added. “The whole idea of divisional cricket is to get the best teams in it but we’ve got to keep it really simple: we’ve got to try and win Division Two. What happens outside of that will be dictated by other people and then we’ll take it from there.”
Extra reporting: Alan Gardner
Matt Curler is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. @mroller98
