3 minute learn
You’re little question conscious that the counties are presently having an enormous outdated argument about find out how to alter the County Championship for future seasons. (And in case you aren’t already conscious, you’d certainly assume that was the case anyway, as a result of when have they not been arguing about that?) It’s been stated that there are 18 counties that agree the construction’s not proper, however 19 completely different variations of what the reply is. Enable us to throw a twentieth possibility into the combination, which we’re certain would fulfill plenty of counties, if not anybody else.
The first aim of any change in construction can be to play fewer video games. You’d assume this element may depend towards the a number of choices which have been instructed which might end result within the counties taking part in precisely the identical variety of video games, however no, apparently not. Regardless of that, it’s, so far as we are able to inform, the central factor being argued right here.
Essentially the most simple strategy to obtain a 12-game season can be by lowering the scale of the highest flight to seven groups and having every county play each different county twice. This may be good and balanced and even when it left you with an awkwardly-sized second division, the primary division is the place the sporting integrity of the competitors issues most.
Alas, even an eight-team first division has been deemed unacceptable on the premise that not sufficient counties can be in with an opportunity of being champions. (That’s really how we ended up with the present magnificent setup the place 10 first division counties play some opponents as soon as and others twice.)
An alternate
If that individual flavour of insanity is suitable – certainly fascinating – to the counties, then let’s roll with it. We’ve bought one other profit they may throw into the combination.
Particular Correspondent Dad bought in contact with us after we wrote about this topic final week. (See beneath.)
Dad stated that again when he began taking part in first group cricket for Northwich, they competed within the Manchester Affiliation. This not-wholly-accurately named competitors included golf equipment from locations as far afield as Lytham and Buxton.
“The record of golf equipment in our league was so long as your arm. Our fixture record was established years earlier than. Some golf equipment we performed twice, some as soon as and a few by no means. In 1969, or thereabouts, we received the league. Huzzah and plenty of again slapping.
“All golf equipment organised their very own fixtures and I’m certain, if we needed to, a match towards Wigan might have been organized, however they had been the strongest round on the time so we by no means performed them.”
This strikes us an ideal answer for the knotty downside that’s the County Championship. Stick everybody in the identical league and let every county draw up its personal fixtures record. Everyone’s pleased.
You don’t wish to play Surrey as a result of they’ve been the perfect group in recent times? Don’t play them.
You wish to play Kent thrice as a substitute? Go for it.
You wish to proceed taking part in 14 matches as a substitute of 12? Knock your self out. Hell, play 16 if you’d like.
When you’ve allowed aggressive asymmetry into your sporting competitors, why trouble striving for any phantasm of stability. Simply go full Manchester Affiliation: an enormous free-for-all and most factors wins.
Alas, North-West membership cricket within the Seventies was just a little extra passionate about working a balanced and meritocratic competitors than up to date county cricket. Northwich subsequently grew to become founder members of the Cheshire County League, a way more smart pyramid system, which nonetheless exists to at the present time.
Dad says that this transfer didn’t come with out price for Northwich. “Whereas initially we had been protected towards relegation, finally the complete drive of a wise system hit us.”
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The put up The reply! The County Championship’s structural issues SOLVED first appeared on King Cricket.
