ECB review recommends cutting back Championship and T20 Blast schedules

The ECB have published their High Performance Review which has been led by Sir Andrew Strauss, which is aimed at improving the success of the England men's team.

It has long been suggested the review would recommend the Championship season being cut from 14 to 10 matches, but the fact it is suggesting the same for the Blast will come as a surprise.

It will mean that there could be 10 days’ fewer cricket at the County Ground every summer.

The Championship top flight will be reduced from 10 to six teams, with two six-team conferences operating underneath it.

There would be one county relegated every season, with the winners of each conference competing in a play-off for the promotion place.

The Blast group stages would also be switched from the current North and South groups to three six-team divisions.

The First-Class Counties will have the final say on what happens, as any changes to the domestic structure have to be agreed by two-thirds of the 18 counties.

Whatever the vote, no changes are due come into effect until the summer of 2024, with the structure next season remaining the same as it has in 2022.

The ECB review is recommending the following changes:

The start of the County Championship would move from April to May and run continuously throughout the summer months and finish in September, with teams playing a minimum of 10 games.

There would be a top division of six teams, with one to be relegated each year. There would then be two second division conferences of six teams, with the one promotion place on offer being decided by an end-of-season play-off.

The One-Day Cup would switch from its current spot in August and take place in a single block in April. It could include minor counties, and be changed to an FA Cup-style knockout format rather than the two group format that currently exists.

The T20 Blast would reduce from the 14 matches that it currently boasts to 10 and would also be in a single block from the end of May to end of July.

The Hundred would be the only white-ball competition to take place in August, with 'first-class cricket festivals' offering specialist red-ball players not competing in that competition the chance to play extra matches.

An ECB statement read: "The men’s High-Performance Review (MHPR) has today published its final report in which it has set out 17 recommendations for cricket to consider and implement.

"The review was established following last winter’s men’s Ashes defeat in Australia with the goal of establishing England Men as the world’s best team across all formats within five years.

"The recommendations focus on developing an aligned high-performance strategy across the men’s professional game, while ensuring that a thriving domestic game is sustained and enhanced.

"The ECB Board and Executive acknowledge the extremely thorough work undertaken by the review team, led by Sir Andrew Strauss, and have endorsed the recommendations of its final report.

"It is within the ECB’s remit to implement 15 of the 17 recommendations and it will now begin the process of understanding the best ways it can efficiently and effectively deliver them.

"Two of the review’s recommendations relate to the men’s domestic structure and it is now for the First-Class Counties (FCCs) to determine how those will be delivered.

"The FCCs have requested that there is no change to next year’s men’s domestic schedule in order to allow for sufficient time to reflect and debate the recommendations.

"The ECB will continue to consult with the FCCs on the structure for 2024.

"Under the ECB’s constitution, any change to the number of domestic competitions, matches in each competition and promotion/relegation will require the support of two-thirds or more of FCCs."

Strauss said: “I am delighted that we are today able to publish the report, which sets out the fundamental changes that we believe are needed to achieve sustained success for our England Men’s team and to enable the men’s domestic game to evolve in the face of a rapidly-changing environment for cricket globally.

“The game must be united if we are to achieve those ambitions and we must be open-minded to change.

"The most consistent message we have received, from players to fans and coaches, was that the status quo is not an option.

“I encourage people to consider our proposals as a package, and I welcome the opportunity for informed debate on the recommended changes to the men’s domestic structure.

“There are no easy answers on the men’s domestic structure.

"The recommendations have prioritised a more coherent schedule which is more manageable for overworked players, coaches and groundstaff while providing the quality and quantity of cricket that fans want to watch and which meets our high-performance objectives.

“That includes playing first-class cricket in each month from May until September, increasing the standard and intensity of the LV= Insurance County Championship and ensuring more opportunities for the best players to play across all domestic competitions.”

ECB chair Richard Thompson said: “The ECB Board and Executive unanimously support the men’s High Performance Review’s recommendations.

“This is a significant piece of work that has the potential to benefit all parts of the men’s professional game.

“The depth of analysis and detail provides clear guidance at a time cricket faces much uncertainty and, importantly, at its heart recognises that a thriving men’s domestic game is the foundation for sustained success on the international stage.

“The majority of the recommendations fall to the ECB to deliver and I look forward to beginning that process now.

“Decision-making regarding the recommendations around the men’s domestic structure ultimately belongs to the First-Class Counties. It is now right that they are given the time to digest those recommendations before consulting their members, staff and other stakeholders.

"We are aware of the challenges within many counties over the reduction in red-ball cricket in particular.

"Those concerns have been taken on board and reflected in the recommendations.

"If there is a reduction in the volume of cricket for a sensible and workable schedule along with seeing the best players more often, I believe that is a good trade-off, particularly as it will improve England’s chances of success in the future.

“It is important that heading into next season that the First-Class Counties are aware of what they are playing for in 2024."