THE DEBATE: Is it time to play some County Championship matches overseas?

It may not be an ideal solution, but would hosting Championship matches abroad benefit England's Test team?

James Coyne, The Cricketer assistant editor

Let’s be absolutely clear: I care deeply about the County Championship. It is the bedrock of the game. I hardly think going overseas to play games is ideal.

But ask yourself, honestly, if there are enough genuine pace bowlers or spinners being produced in the Championship. It used to be different: there were once more high-class overseas fast bowlers; pitches now hold together better, and don’t turn or bounce so much. Not every summer will be as hot and dry as this, either. It leaves England woefully underprepared for pace when they go to Australia, or spin anywhere in Asia.

The way the world game is run, series between England, Australia and India are the big money-spinners. We simply cannot afford for England’s awful record to continue. Just remember how you feel when they are shellacked overseas – and the grisly post-mortems which usually end in pay-offs and sackings.

Heed the words of the new England selector James Taylor: “We need to give our players as much experience in turning conditions as we can, especially at a developmental level. When I was picked I couldn’t have been in a better place – I went to the subcontinent virtually every winter, playing in turning wickets, from 17 to when I finished.” But how many other batsmen can say the same now?

Many counties go on pre-season tours, and the ECB sets up a heated marquee at Loughborough. So let’s do it properly, and place every pro in a competitive environment where counties would be virtually mandated to field two spinners.

I completely sympathise with members who feel short-changed by the reduction in Championship fixtures, but they don’t need to lose any more: in a small tweak of our Blueprint, we could go back to 16 games (14 in England and two overseas).

Don’t tell me it can’t be done. Play one division in the West Indies and one in the UAE. Barbados has several first-class grounds – and plenty of interested cricket travel companies – but base some teams in Antigua if necessary. Tests and Intercontinental Cup matches have been held across the UAE. La Manga is coming up as a new (and cheaper) alternative, but there needs to be a thorough recce of the pitches and facilities first.

All this will be expensive, sure. But consider this a long-term investment. Each county is getting £1.3m for signing up to The Hundred. And besides – do you want to put a price on the future health of English Test cricket?

^{North v South has already been played in Barbados}

Robert Boswell, subscriber

I find your Blueprint’s plan to play a Championship round overseas bizarre. Firstly, you would need to find nine grounds to accommodate all 18 teams. Which part of the world has nine grounds in close proximity capable of hosting first-class cricket for the first week in April? Even if you could, it would be a logistical nightmare – which club will not complain about their venue?

I presume one team will be ‘home’ and one team ‘away’. The home team will now only have six Championship matches that its members can attend. It is currently seven. Up to two years ago it was eight. This is what matters to members – the amount of Championship cricket available for the fees, and it is being reduced. The idea that more outgrounds will be used is also affected. With fewer home matches – particularly if you have a city Test ground – less, not more, will be played on outgrounds. I feel your Blueprint represents a further attack on membership-based Championship cricket. 

Chris Grant, subscriber

Can you say which nine grounds in Barbados and the UAE, if any, are available to host nine first-class matches simultaneously? Not to mention finding accommodation for players, officials, spectators and the rest during the height of the tourist season. It would mean half the counties losing one home fixture, while the rest get their full allocation. I don’t think that you have thought this through fully. George Dobell wrote an excellent feature on the lot of the county cricket club member in the August edition, and yet in the same issue, you want to take another fixture away from us.