'It was a no-win in so many ways': Wasim Khan discusses the new County Championship structure

Khan, the outgoing Leicestershire chief executive chaired the working group that suggested changes to county cricket from 2020, and has explained some of their thinking to The Cricketer

khan11012019-min

The 100 looks certain to happen now, the ECB confirming their new short-form tournament in 2020 will be 100 balls per innings.

As expected, each side will bowl 10 10-ball overs, delivered by one or two bowlers, in batches of either five or 10 balls, after it was signed off by the ECB board.

"The strategy we have created will give the whole game clear priorities," said ECB chief executive Tom Harrison.

Critics must now wait and see if the format proves a success. Presumably if it is not, a revamped Blast with two divisions would be Plan B, although not one the present ECB regime would countenance.

Meanwhile Wasim Khan, who chaired the working group that suggested changes to county cricket from 2020, has explained some of their thinking to The Cricketer.

They include a flip to 10/eight from eight/10 in the Championship (with a seeding system deciding which teams play each other twice rather than once in the top flight); playing the 50-over competition alongside The 100, and a round of friendlies that will see first-class sides travel to minor counties.

khan110120192-min

Wasim Khan chaired the working group which suggested changes to county cricket from 2020

"It was an interesting piece of work," the outgoing Leicestershire chief executive said. "It was a no-win in many ways as it is such an emotive subject – so many people have their own views.

"In the end nine counties wanted a conference and nine wanted a divisional structure (for the Championship). The only way we pushed that through was by saying if we don't get 12 votes to change we are stuck with what we have, 8/10, which nobody felt was right.

"We found the optimal solution was keeping the divisional structure, which more than 80 per cent of the players wanted.

"A lot of the people who wanted a conference structure were willing to compromise and go down the divisional route, but the ones who wanted divisional were more unwilling to go down the other route. In the end we had 18 in agreement.

"Ten in the top flight gives us a best v best feel. There are more players playing against the best teams. With eight, you had 25 per cent of the best teams being relegated, and it was harder to get out of Division Two.

khan110120193-min

Surrey were the 2018 County Champions

"It was felt it was the only system in the world where 25 per cent of the teams got relegated in any given year. The flip of that is that now if you are in Division Two you have a better chance of promotion. If you get relegated from Division One you deserve to be relegated.

"The idea behind the seeding system was that when you have an asymmetrical system such as 10 teams and 14 matches, if you are at the top end, you might not play some of the other top teams, and others will.

"There needed to be a fairer, robust seeding system. They are using experts who do this at top-level sport, so everybody buys into that.

"With three up from Division Two, the seeding system comes into that division next year. Last year Leicestershire were third with five games to go. We played Sussex, Kent and Warwickshire in three of the last six games, and they beat us. They were the strongest sides.

"Two of those teams got promoted, and they didn't necessarily play the other top teams around them and so, with 20-odd points resting on it, it could make a big difference. So this year's positions will determine who plays each other next year twice. Previously there was randomness behind it, now there will be science.

khan110120194-min

Warwickshire won Division Two, and promotion to Division One in 2018

"We have tried to play four-day cricket throughout the summer – July, August. I think we have a good structure. Hopefully the process went pretty well, we tried to be as impartial as possible. We had some good heads around the table.

"We have seven home Blast games, crucial for counties like Leicestershire, as it is the catalyst to attract young people to the game. That was a worry.

"We spoke a lot to the Minor Counties Cricket Association. There was talk of north and south teams in the 50-over. They felt they would struggle with players’ availability, and grounds, and that perhaps if those teams did not win any games, it would not actually do them any good.

"What they wanted was their day in the sun. So we have a high-quality friendly, just before the 50-over starts. So Surrey might go to Dorset, we might go to Cornwall… the players will want a decent warm-up match. And it is a coup for the minor counties because they might get 3,000 people turning up at Truro.

"The 50-over competition will be a great development tool. Academy lads will get a chance, and there's still a final, at Trent Bridge. Yes, if you are Yorkshire and you lose seven players to the Headingley 100 side, it will be tough. We [Leicestershire] will still go all out to win it."

Comments

LATEST NEWS

STAY UP TO DATE Sign up to our newsletter...
SIGN UP

Thank You! Thank you for subscribing!

Units 7-8, 35-37 High St, Barrow upon Soar, Loughborough, LE128PY

website@thecricketer.com

Welcome to www.thecricketer.com - the online home of the world’s oldest cricket magazine. Breaking news, interviews, opinion and cricket goodness from every corner of our beautiful sport, from village green to national arena.