The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) planned a city based Big Bash like franchise based T20 tournament that will be introduced in the 2018 domestic cricket.
The eight-team tournaments, which hopes to attract players from around the world, will run in addition to the existing Twenty 20 Blast competition involving all 18 first class countries and is designed to draw in a new generation of cricket fans.
One of the biggest hurdles to the new tournament getting off the drawing board was cleared when it received backing from a majority of counties.
Unlike other similar tournaments elsewhere in the world such as the Indian Premier League (IPL), It is envisaged the new event will see proceeds ploughed back into the 18 first class counties and not into the hands of privately operated franchises.
ECB chairman Colin Graves, who once labeled the Blast “mediocre”, said Wednesday. “We’ve all been looking at how we can use domestic T20 for an even bigger purpose, especially getting more young people to play.”
Graves added, “This format (T20) was invented here and is successful worldwide.
“It can excite new fans, attract the best players and fuel the future of the game on and off the pitch,” added Graves, following a reported 16-3 vote in favour by the counties and MCC, the owners of London’s Lord’s Cricket Ground.
Former England coach David Lloyd said even countries not directly involved would welcome the new tournament, tweeting they will get “a shed full of money”.
County side Surrey captain Gareth Batty is not certain. While talking to Radio’s Cricket Week said, “Everybody says we play too much cricket and we’ve just added yet another competition into a packed county season.”
There are still two formal hurdles the new tournament need to clear.
The ECB will have to consider the proposal at its next board meeting and a subsequent further vote will be required to change the government body’s constitution.
It presently states that any professional competition under its authority must include the first-class counties.