City-based Twenty20 tournament moves a step closer
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has revealed plans for a new T20 tournament made up of eight city-based teams have moved a step closer.
Last summer Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Northamptonshire were four of 15 counties to vote in favour of the change.
Now, ECB chairman Colin Graves will ask the Executive Board to approve a change in the Articles of Association, allowing the creation of a new T20 competition with eight new teams.
Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, London, Manchester, Nottingham and Southampton have been suggested as likely host cities of the new teams.
Graves said: “So far it’s been about vision, but also about a lot of discussion, research and insight,” he explained.
“We have consulted extensively with the counties, the players through the PCA, and our other stakeholders – and with thousands of the people who we want to watch cricket.
“It’s about enhancing and adding to what we’ve already got – specifically in the Blast, which has been a huge success for our counties at a local level, and also in the 50-over Cup, and the great history of the County Championship.
“But for the future health of cricket, we need to do more. Our research tells us that. We’ve got to go beyond the audiences that we’re reaching at the moment. We need to be box office, to create that sense of occasion, to have relevance to new audiences in this country – young and family audiences – and to a global audience as well.
“All our research tells us that a new T20 competition, played in the summer holidays, with a completely new look and feel to anything we’ve already got, is our big opportunity to do that.
“The broadcasters tell us that too, both subscription and free-to-air. There’s a desire from free-to-air to partner with us on new T20, and that’s because they’re excited by where we’re taking the game. I can’t make it happen – but I’d love it to.”
New T20 competition at a glance:
