ECB announce changes to County Championship structure
Monday 7 March 2016 22:16, UK
The ECB has announced changes to the Specsavers County Championship that will come into effect from the 2017 season.
Eight teams will compete in Division One the season after next, with 10 teams in the second division.
In order to accommodate the changes, two teams will be relegated from the top-flight in 2016, with just one promoted from the second tier.
Counties will also play fewer championship matches from 2017, down from 16 to 14, with seven home and seven away games due to be played by each county.
The championship will be run in segments of fixtures, pausing first during April and May for Royal London One-Day Cup matches.
Two group winners will advance straight into the semi-finals of that competition, with second and third-placed teams in each group entering quarter-finals, leading up to a July final, a move that sees the showpiece one-day final move forward in the calendar from its traditional spot in September.
Four-day cricket will again take a break during July and August when the NatWest T20 Blast, retained in its established format, takes centre stage.
"Today's decisions follow a number of productive meetings with the Chief Executives and Chairmen of the First Class Counties," Colin Graves, chairman of the England & Wales Cricket Board, said on the ECB's official website.
"We've worked closely together, looking to improve the domestic structure for the good of the game.
"The changes for 2017 will be good for fans, players and our international teams. The season is easier to follow, the blocks help players focus on specific skills and there's a better balance across all three formats.
"There is a clear consensus that county cricket has to be sustainable and must support the whole game. There is an appetite for change and cricket is moving fast - we must not be left behind.
"Cricket needs more people playing, great teams and inspired fans in order to thrive; these principles support our plans now and for the future."
Andrew Strauss, Director, England Cricket at ECB, who was a member of the eight-strong Structure Steering Group, is also positive about the changes in structure that have been agreed.
"Feedback from players and cricket management is always important in deciding how to shape the season," he said.
"Last year a county player could change between formats as many as 24 times over the summer. Next year that could be down to as few as six. This will help develop skill levels and create a better narrative to the summer.
"A successful England team helps to attract new followers and an improved structure will give us a better chance to both develop our players and to encourage more people to play."
