Counties look set to vote for brand new eight-city T20 tournament
● ECB to change constitution rules on competition entry for Ipl-style event
A new English city-based Twenty20 tournament is a giant stride closer after counties supplied the mandate necessary to “trigger” a postal vote for constitutional change.
The England and Wales Cricket Board executive is expected to agree at a Lord’s meeting this morning to dispatch the referendum in which the 41 representatives of first-class counties, MCC and recreational boards will be invited to sanction an amendment to the governing body’s existing rules in order to accommodate a tournament including just eight teams from 2020 onwards.
ECB chief executive Tom Harrison confirmed, after his presentation on the latest plans for the competition which will borrow from the formats of the Indian Premier League and Australia’s Big Bash, that the 18 counties and MCC have all signed “media rights deeds”.
That assent, allowing ECB to add the new tournament to a portfolio offered to prospective media outlets this summer, is a significant indicator that it will be full steam ahead.
The amended constitution will pertain, it is understood, in a one-off capacity only for the planned eight-team T20 rather than any further dilution of the counties’ existing right to take part in all professional domestic competitions.
Harrison, right, and ECB T20 project lead Mike Fordham briefed all those set to receive the ballot, on the latest detailed plans in two meetings at the Royal Institute of British Architects in Marylebone – the first of which also featured an endorsement in person from England’s limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan.
Harrison said: “We have 19 signed media rights deeds... which give us confidence. It has given ECB express permission to represent each county’s media rights as part of the ECB’S media rights tender. It assigns those rights to the ECB.”
There were three dissenting counties last September when the ECB first established an ad-hoc mandate with a show of hands in favour of pursuing the eight-team option. Asked if he was aware of any significant doubts lingering among the 18 clubs, Harrison said: “No, I’m not. I’m sure everybody’s got their remaining concerns, and we’ll continue to try to address those.
“It’s up to each county to make their own decision, but they’ve been given the information and a very strong recommendation.
Harrison hopes the plans will “connect with a familyand-children audience that are very difficult to get through to through traditional means”.
He added: “It’s been about creating something different. If we’re successful at that, we’ll be successful at boosting our existing tournaments as well as creating something dramatically different.”
The ECB will pay a £1.3millon-a-year share of tournament revenue to each county.
Up to eight of a planned 36 fixtures in July and August may be available to all TV viewers, but Harrison added: “We’re a pay TV business. We’re underwritten by pay TV.” Kane Williamson’s masterful 148 not out lifted New Zealand into a slender firstinnings lead over South Africa after day three of the third and final Test at Hamilton.
Needing a victory to square the series, the Kiwis overhauled the Proteas’ 314 all out by closing on 321 for four, thanks largely to captain Williamson, who moved level with Martin Crowe on 17 Test centuries.
Williamson therefore needs only one more ton to set a New Zealand record but far more pressing will be steering his side towards a commanding position on day four.
Tom Latham and Jeet Raval enjoyed an 83-run opening stand before the former was dismissed for 50, edging behind to give Morne Morkel his 250th Test wicket.
Williamson was quickly into his stride with a straight six off Keshav Maharaj and shortly after passing his half-century, another maximum, off Vernon Philander, took him past 5,000 Test runs.
While Raval was happy to play the anchoring role, Williamson was the aggressor and he brought up three figures with an effortless push down the ground for his ninth four.
Raval surpassed his previous Test best of 80 but fell 12 runs shy of a maiden international century when he was caught behind off Morkel.
Kagiso Rabada took two wickets in two balls – albeit in separate overs – to see off Neil Broom and Henry Nicholls cheaply, but Williamson, with 14 fours and three sixes in a 216-ball stay, was still there at the close to put his side in a commanding position.
Mitchell Santner survived a late scare when he lost his off stump to Philander, who was subsequently called for overstepping.