BIG CRICKET SURVEY 2018: Too much IT20 in English summer, say fans

Of the more than 1,800 responses, 56.47 per cent said they want to see the number of international games being played in the shortest format drop, with 29.06 per cent saying they would be happy with the existing arrangement

^{England players during the IT20 series against India}

There is overwhelming support among cricket fans in England for a reduction in the number of T20 Internationals in the English summer calendar, The Cricketer’s Big Cricket Survey has revealed.

Of the more than 1,800 responses, 56.47 per cent said they want to see the number of games being played in the shortest format drop, with 29.06 per cent saying they would be happy with the existing arrangement.

England have played four T20Is on home soil in 2018. In 2020, the number played on these shores will rise to five, with six scheduled from 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Additionally, there are two men’s World T20 competitions taking place in back-to-back years from 2019.

That won’t go down with those who watch the game, however. Just 14.47 per cent of the survey’s respondents will support the increase but that is almost double the number of people who expressed a desire to see more 50-over cricket.

In a result which is unfortunately timed, given England and Wales are the hosts of next summer’s World Cup and 50-over cricket will exclusively be played between May 8 and July 14, just 7.59 per cent of fans want more ODI matches on the schedule.

And there is more passion for a decrease in the amount of Test cricket on offer each summer, too, with 19.59 per cent of supporters saying less five-day action would be better.

Interestingly, there were more respondents who are keen to see a rise in the amount of T20 Internationals than there are those who want more red-ball games.

Principally, though, the feeling is that too much international cricket is played during the English summer.

READ THE FULL ECB RESPONSE TO THE BIG CRICKET SURVEY HERE

That contrasts markedly with the responses to a similar question on the domestic game. In that instance, 52.98 per cent of fans disagreed or strongly disagreed with the idea that too much professional cricket is played during the English county summer.

That was weighted by a larger vote among those aged 40 and over, however.

Of those in the 40-54 age bracket, 49.04 per cent did not feel there was too much county cricket; in the 55-65 bracket that figure was 60.64 per cent; and in the 65-plus category it was 60.65 per cent.

Younger cricket fans, it seems, are more likely than their elders to feel like the game is reaching saturation point.

This is particularly true among Millenials (25-39 years old), 36.54 per cent of whom agreed with the suggestion that there is too much action packed into the summer.

TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU AGREED WITH THE STATEMENT 'TOO MUCH PROFESSIONAL CRICKET IS PLAYED DURING THE ENGLISH COUNTY SUMMER'?