Start English cricket’s revolution with five-day matches and a larger top tier
They play each other once, so nine games a season and, if necessary, a round robin semi-final and final at Lord’s. The two teams that reach the…
Why April is the best month to bat in England
All bar two games drawn, 20 centuries scored, an average of 36 runs per wicket: who would be a bowler in the County Championship in April? The…
County Championship 2022: Team-by-team guide to the new season – and our predicted winners
England’s cricketing focus shifts to the County Championship, which starts on Thursday following a disappointing winter overseas. The cricket world will have its eye on Yorkshire this…
How Franklyn Stephenson did the county ‘double’ and why it will never happen again
You could never accuse Franklyn Stephenson of lacking ambition. Before his first season of county cricket, with Nottinghamshire in 1988, the West Indian set himself a target…
ECB consider 12-team Premier League as part of radical new blueprint for English domestic game
A radical new blueprint for the English domestic game involving the creation of a 12-team Premier League is being considered as part of the England & Wales…
Sue Redfern set to become first woman to umpire a first-class match in England
Sue Redfern is in line to become the first woman to umpire a first-class match in England after being included as part of the newly created Professional…
Making cricket a sport for the rich is not just morally wrong – it makes no sporting sense
This debate has been highlighted by two players in England’s last team to win the Ashes in Australia, Matt Prior and Graeme Swann, who have complained that…
The ECB says it wants to prioritise red-ball cricket – so why is the Championship starting on April 7?
The new fixtures for the forthcoming domestic cricket season have been announced. The deckchairs on the Titanic are being shifted, but only a little, because this schedule…
Zak Crawley: County pitches must improve to give England batsmen a chance
England opener Zak Crawley has called on First Class counties to prepare better pitches to give English batsmen a chance to flourish on the Test stage. Crawley was…
Counties producing substandard pitches should routinely be docked points to help develop Test players
Counties should be docked points for substandard pitches to give the Test side the best chance of succeeding, the former England Test cricketer Gareth Batty has said….
Exclusive: County Championship to be revamped for more mid-summer matches
The ECB will revamp the County Championship schedule to play more games in the height of summer next season as Yorkshire await their fate over whether the…