Overall playing days reduction among initial recommendations of cricket review

A slimmed-down top division in the county championship and a reduction in overall playing days are among the initial recommendations of Sir Andrew Strauss’ high-performance review into English cricket.

A group led by the former England captain has been conducting a broad-based assessment of the men’s game, prompted in part by last winter’s Ashes thrashing, and is now ready to debate its findings in a consultation stage with the wider game.

The current mark of 14 first-class fixtures is set to remain next season while consensus is sought, but in a blog published by the England and Wales Cricket Board, Strauss has made it clear that shrinking the current domestic schedule is a priority.

In the same breath, it has been confirmed that none of the existing 18 first-class counties are under threat.

Strauss, whose panel of experts includes the likes of Sir Dave Brailsford, Dan Ashworth and current director of men’s cricket Rob Key, wrote: “Initial options for the game to discuss include a revamped 50-over competition and a smaller LV= Insurance County Championship top division to ensure higher standards and more intense best v best red-ball cricket.

“Our research shows that the first-class Counties play a higher volume of cricket compared to the rest of the world, while feedback from players is that a reduction in the amount of men’s domestic cricket played is essential.

“We have made our initial proposals and findings and now it will be for the first-class counties to make any decisions over domestic structures – all we can do is provide them with informed recommendations. We want a thriving and future-proofed men’s domestic game, in which all 18 first-class Counties are established at the heart of our ambitions.”