Graves: some counties must go part time

[Voice of fair play]

They should look to the Premier League model.

Clubs take precedence over Internationals.

England won the football world cup without impinging on league football.

Ok I know the timescales are different, but ultimately, England are dependent on the counties to develop players. There must be a price for this.

I am sure when all other cricket countries put the country first, us putting counties first would be the way to complete with them!

Could not disagree more.

England has to be put first otherwise inevitably we will get worse while other countries get better.

 

[Metro Man]

I am sure when all other cricket countries put the country first, us putting counties first would be the way to complete with them!

Could not disagree more.

England has to be put first otherwise inevitably we will get worse while other countries get better.

But the County Championship is failing and is unsustainable without radical change. Without First Class county cricket, there will be no England.

 

[brandon]

I am sure when all other cricket countries put the country first, us putting counties first would be the way to complete with them!

Could not disagree more.

England has to be put first otherwise inevitably we will get worse while other countries get better.

It’s a chicken and egg scenario, ultimately they need each other. You can have one without the other, I know you’ve got no interest in the Counties, but without them there would be no England.

 

[Voice of fair play]

But the County Championship is failing and is unsustainable without radical change. Without First Class county cricket, there will be no England.

Well yeah of course and nothing against change to make it more sustainable, but it can’t be done by putting it above the international team.

Every other country in the world puts the international team first.

 

[Metro Man]

Well yeah of course and nothing against change to make it more sustainable, but it can’t be done by putting it above the international team.

Every other country in the world puts the international team first.

OK, I know its not 1st class cricket, but the Indian Premier league is now streets ahead of test cricket in India, the world's biggest market.

 

[Voice of fair play]

It’s a chicken and egg scenario, ultimately they need each other. You can have one without the other, I know you’ve got no interest in the Counties, but without them there would be no England.

It’s not soo much,I have no interest in county cricket, just me personally my priority has always been putting country first, club cricket second and county cricket third.

I know you against it and the last thing I want to do is offend you, as know you love Durham but I genuinely think there is a compromise to be had here, less counties but more competitive counties ,does there need to be soo many ,I personally don’t think soo.

In any sport be in football, cricket or Rugby imo ,the whole set up has to be geared towards success for that national team.

When you have players pulling out through injury for the national team to be available for their club team that happens in football I find that very sad.

OK, I know its not 1st class cricket, but the Indian Premier league is now streets ahead of test cricket in India, the world's biggest market.

Yeah that’s a fair point, but that’s more to do with the format and the excitement of T20, you would never get 4 day first class cricket in India overtaking the test side

 

[Metro Man]

Yeah that’s a fair point, but that’s more to do with the format and the excitement of T20, you would never get 4 day first class cricket in India overtaking the test side

Out of interest, was the Indian Ist class game ever much of a draw for spectators? I really don't know.

 

[Voice of fair play]

Out of interest, was the Indian Ist class game ever much of a draw for spectators? I really don't know.

Probably not because in every country the international team gets more spectators than domestic cricket over the longer format.

 

[brandon]

It’s not soo much,I have no interest in county cricket, just me personally my priority has always been putting country first, club cricket second and county cricket third.

I know you against it and the last thing I want to do is offend you, as know you love Durham but I genuinely think there is a compromise to be had here, less counties but more competitive counties ,does there need to be soo many ,I personally don’t think soo.

In any sport be in football, cricket or Rugby imo ,the whole set up has to be geared towards success for that national team.

When you have players pulling out through injury for the national team to be available for their club team that happens in football I find that very sad.

Difference between football and cricket is that footballers wages are paid by their clubs, you also tend to get a fuckload of pointless friendlies in football whereas every cricket game is meaningful.

As for the reduction in counties, it’s been done to death, but nobody has ever been able to come up with who misses out and valid enough reasoning for that.

 

[Parkside]

But the County Championship is failing and is unsustainable without radical change. Without First Class county cricket, there will be no England.

In what way is it failing and unsustainable? It's the feed for the England test team which generates £ millions through gate receipts and TV income. Without the CC, there's no England team. That test income,therefore, rightly belongs to the counties,poor attendances at CC games are largely irrelevant. Not helped,of course, by bookending the season. It's ECB where reform is required, not the CC.

 

[Metro Man]

In what way is it failing and unsustainable? It's the feed for the England test team which generates £ millions through gate receipts and TV income. Without the CC, there's no England team. That test income,therefore, rightly belongs to the counties,poor attendances at CC games are largely irrelevant. Not helped,of course, by bookending the season. It's ECB where reform is required, not the CC.

I think that's what I said....except the cc attendances, which certainly aren't irrelevant outside the test grounds.

 

[wayne entwhistle no9]

For England to thrive you need a strong domestic system not sure you need 18 teams there is not enough talent to go around and that is why the counties are full of Southern Africans and Aussie grade cricketers.
The Midlands certainly needs looking at no way do you need Notts, Derby, Leicester and Northants.

 

[Voice of fair play]

Yeah could not agree more, that’s basically my point, but you have put it across better.

Of course there needs to be a strong domestic league to support the national team, don’t think anyone would disagree.

However central contracts are needed and if top players are rested and not playing for their counties for the benefit of the national team that has to be the priority.

 

[TravellingMackem]

I don’t mate, I am just a big believer in country first club second.

Rugby and cricket have it right, if I had my way and it wouldn’t happen football would go down the same route.

It’s getting close that the Champions League and the premier league could become bigger than the World Cup and that is very wrong imo.

Country has to be the first priority don’t you agree.

The Premier League is already miles bigger than the World Cup tbh

 

[Jack Torrance]

The Premier League is already miles bigger than the World Cup tbh

Yep, champions league is as well

 

[Steak Pie]

I think I would wreck myself laughing if the incoming chairman srapped the hundred and restored the Blast to a tournament.

 

[Voice of fair play]

I think I would wreck myself laughing if the incoming chairman srapped the hundred and restored the Blast to a tournament.

Whatever gets more people at club level playing the game, could not care less what tournament does that as long as it does

 

[Parkside]

I think I would wreck myself laughing if the incoming chairman srapped the hundred and restored the Blast to a tournament.

Well prepare for the wreckage because I'm pretty sure all the counties were bribed/bullied into it. Frightening really that one man could have that much power. Just a case of how much they're already contracted to it financially.

 

[The Red Telephone]

Just listened to him being interviewed by Agnew on TMS during the tea break - came across as a right tosser.

 

[Twisted]

I genuinely think there is a compromise to be had here, less counties but more competitive counties ,does there need to be soo many ,I personally don’t think soo.

that depends which county you live in i suppose.

if your local league decided there were too many cricket clubs around and wanted to axe your local team how would you feel? or if you were a bangladeshi and the bcci decided test cricket would be better without them would you say 'ah well, that's the compromise and its what is for the best' ?