No formal proposals have yet been tabled to counties by the review panel, which was convened earlier this year in response to England men's miserable performance in the Ashes in Australia
A group of Lancashire members say they have enough signatories to force a special general meeting (SGM) of the club to discuss potential changes to the amount of first-class cricket played each season.
The Lancashire Action Group (LAG) want administrators at Old Trafford to consult with members, and then give them the chance to consent to any reduction in the number of County Championship matches which may be proposed as a result of the ECB's ongoing high-performance review.
No formal proposals have yet been tabled to counties by the review panel, which was convened earlier this year in response to England men's miserable performance in the Ashes in Australia, though the clubs' senior hierarchies have now been included in discussions.
Lancashire members are trying to force an SGM [Getty Images]
LAG want to pre-empt any vote, however, by forcing the Lancashire management to ask for approval on the future structure of the county game.
In a statement on Monday, the group said that it has "easily reached the threshold" of signatures to bring about an SGM, in which - they say - the intention will be to "get the club's management to oppose any reduction of first-class fixtures for next year".
The Telegraph has reported that around 600 signatories have put their name to the LAN petition. According to the terms of the club's constitution, the SGM would have to be held 28 days after notice is given - which LAG intend to serve on Wednesday. It is not immediately clear whether the high-performance review will have presented its proposal on the county game's future make-up by that point.
Lancashire is one of 15 counties which is not privately owned - Hampshire, Northamptonshire and Durham are the exceptions.
"The membership is not consulted on major decisions in the running of the club and that is why there is so much unrest," the LAG statement read.
The ECB's high-performance review, which is due to report to the ECB's members in the coming weeks, is likely to focus on an overall reduction in the amount of county cricket played each season, following consultations with clubs and players.
LAG want a chance to consent to potential changes to the volume of first-class cricket [Getty Images]
How that manifests itself is as yet uncertain, with several suggestions being discussed in working parties at present. The current Championship structure, which includes 14 matches (or a maximum of 56 matchdays) of first-class cricket, being reduced to 10 matches is one of several ideas being explored.
Lancashire have a members' forum on Wednesday, for which these matters are on the agenda, and another had already been diaried for September.
In a statement last week, the club said: "The decision that will be made later in the year, and ultimately voted for by the first-class counties, will not be a commercial decision. Rather, it will be one based on the development and welfare of our players, which must always be at the forefront of our minds throughout this process."
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