Counties vote for domestic cricket shake-up and new city-based Twenty20 competition
Domestic cricket is set for one of the biggest shake-ups in its history after counties voted to introduce a new eight-team city-based Twenty20 competition.
First-class counties, along with law-making body the MCC, voted 16-3 in favour of the creation of the new tournament which will take place in addition to the existing 18-team T20 Blast. The competition is set to start in 2018.
Surrey, Kent and Sussex are believed to be the three counties to vote against the proposal, which is set to see clubs net £1.5m from television rights for the tournament, while a £300,000 staging agreement for the host grounds has been mooted.
“The need to grow interest and participation in the game we love is at the core of our thinking and this is a rigorous process,” said England and Wales Cricket Board [ECB] chairman Colin Graves.
“The next steps for us all, as a game, will be to extend the discussions and get valuable input from players, members and other key voices across the game.”
The ECB hope the competition will rival the Indian Premier League and Australia’s Big Bash League.