Plans to restructure English cricket’s County Championship face significant delays after a key meeting of county chairs concluded without agreement. The proposed changes, which would reduce the number of matches from 14 to 13 per team next season, failed to gain sufficient support during Wednesday’s discussions at Lord’s Cricket Ground.
The impasse marks the latest setback in efforts to reform the domestic cricket calendar. Earlier this season, counties successfully reduced the Twenty20 Blast competition from 14 to 12 matches following recommendations from the Professional Cricketers’ Association. However, implementing similar changes to the Championship format has proven more challenging.
The latest proposal involved splitting a 12-team Division One into two pools of six, with the remaining six clubs competing in Division Two. This model joins several previously rejected formats, including three conferences of six teams, an 18-team league with a Swiss-style fixture system, and various adaptations of the current 10/8 divisional structure.
Approval requires support from at least 12 of the 18 counties, creating a clear divide among club leadership. Five counties – Surrey, Yorkshire, Middlesex, Essex, and Somerset – have publicly opposed reducing the Championship schedule, while Derbyshire, Sussex, and Kent remain unconvinced by the alternatives. Meanwhile, ten counties continue to advocate for restructuring.
Player welfare concerns remain central to the debate. A recent survey showed 83% of players expressed concerns about their physical wellbeing due to the current volume of domestic cricket. The Professional Cricketers’ Association continues to push for reduced scheduling, though the possibility of player strikes, while mentioned by some county executives, has not been formally discussed.
With only three rounds remaining in the current Championship season, the most probable outcome appears to be further delays. If no agreement emerges in the coming weeks, the vote will likely be postponed until winter, extending the uncertainty surrounding English domestic cricket’s future structure.
