COUNTY CRICKET DESCENDS INTO BITTER CIVIL WAR

PLANS for a red-ball county championship have been thrown into chaos following heated discussions between the counties yesterday. Four clubs are threatening not to play and doubts grew over whether the ECB would award any matches that do take place first-class status. The counties narrowly voted in favour of staging a four-day competition instead of a 50-over cup earlier this week, with the red-ball resolution passed by 11 votes to seven in a secret ballot, but only after the

clubs were given an opt-out. Hampshire, Northamptonshire, Gloucestershire and Leicestershire are understood to be the most vocal opponents of the five-match regional championship leading to a final at Lord’s on grounds of cost, particularly the number of overnight stays required. All four counties threatened to exercise the opt-out on a tense day of negotiating, though the situation is fluid and the proponents of four-day cricket have not given up hope of winning round the doubters. The biggest counties want a quick decision as they are determined to play red-ball cricket this summer and will plan alternative matches if an 18-team competition is not possible. There remain several obstacles to the event — provisionally called the Bob Willis Trophy, as revealed by

Sportsmail — taking place, such as all counties demonstrating they can provide a Covid-safe environment. There are even suggestions that some counties could deliberately fall short of fulfilling the medical protocols, enabling them to withdraw without losing face and angering their members. The ECB have attempted to stay neutral throughout what has become an acrimonious process, though Sportsmail has learned that chairman Colin Graves lobbied several counties to vote in favour of the 50-over competition, as he shares the concern of smaller clubs about the costs of staging four-day cricket without any spectators. The irony of the 72-year-old Yorkshireman, who will be replaced as chairman by Ian Watmore next month, opposing the most traditional form of the game will not be lost on many counties who were frustrated by his determination to launch the Hundred, despite the disruption it is likely to cause the county schedule. In another complication, the ECB have questioned whether the competition should be considered first-class, as

Sportsmail revealed yesterday, as concern over players’ fitness following a four-month break has led to several radical changes being considered to playing conditions. These include moving to 12-a-side games with the inclusion of a bowling substitute. Other proposals would see a reduction in the daily over requirement to 90, increasing the follow-on mark to 200 and introducing a 120-over cut-off for the first innings.