Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

It is that time of year, the ECB have released fixtures for the 2019 season and the scheduling is a bit different to other seasons.

Season starts 1st week of April with County Championship, but only for two weeks before the Royal London Cup is played 2nd half of April to 2nd half of May. Half the County Championship season will be played from Spring Bank Holiday to mid July before the T20 Blast commences during the summer holidays.

I have put a poll about the fixtures, kind of aimed at regular attendees of County Cricket but the debate is open to all. My question is what do you think of your counties fixture schedule for 2019? Will it encourage you to attend matches or the opposite?

At first glance the schedule looks pretty good this year - apart from the early start. Although at a Durham forum during the season ended it was mentioned that from 2020 the even more 4 day games will be played at the beginning and end of the season than ever. Think it's because the 50 over competition will be played at the same time as the dreaded 100 ball one.

Temba Bavuma has joined Northants as overseas for new season

Alex Gidman named new Worcestershire coach

From a personal perspective, Yorkshire fixtures for next year look more balanced than in previous seasons. Guaranteed cricket on Bank Holiday weekends, Twenty20 Blast fixtures on Thursday, Friday or Sunday and more weekend games in general. The spread of fixtures are regular, but even and no dodgy away trips to make say 36hrs after a Blast match.

captaincolly wrote:At first glance the schedule looks pretty good this year - apart from the early start. Although at a Durham forum during the season ended it was mentioned that from 2020 the even more 4 day games will be played at the beginning and end of the season than ever. Think it's because the 50 over competition will be played at the same time as the dreaded 100 ball one.

Unfortunately that is the case. This Hundred ball competition will only marginalise the County competitions and affect England performances in the long term. Counties might be getting £1.3 Million a year in image rights, but memberships and matchday revenue from the county game is likely to be hit. For example full memberships at Yorkshire you need to watch 21 days of cricket to get your moneys worth compared to buying a Club Yorkshire membership (£35 for the card with 2 free County Championship games, then £10 entry).

Personality I would play County Championship cricket during The Hundred, but relax rules on signing Overseas players during the period (as well as during the IPL).

Alviro Patterson wrote:

captaincolly wrote:At first glance the schedule looks pretty good this year - apart from the early start. Although at a Durham forum during the season ended it was mentioned that from 2020 the even more 4 day games will be played at the beginning and end of the season than ever. Think it's because the 50 over competition will be played at the same time as the dreaded 100 ball one.

Unfortunately that is the case. This Hundred ball competition will only marginalise the County competitions and affect England performances in the long term. Counties might be getting £1.3 Million a year in image rights, but memberships and matchday revenue from the county game is likely to be hit. For example full memberships at Yorkshire you need to watch 21 days of cricket to get your moneys worth compared to buying a Club Yorkshire membership (£35 for the card with 2 free County Championship games, then £10 entry).

Personality I would play County Championship cricket during The Hundred, but relax rules on signing Overseas players during the period (as well as during the IPL).

Relaxing the overseas rules during The Hundred and IPL sounds like a good idea to me. It'd help to maintain a good standard when the best England qualified players are unavailable.
I haven't been keeping up with all The Hundred details but is the ridiculous idea of having the likes of Root and Stokes assigned to teams for marketing purposes when they won't play much or at all still happening? It seemed absurd to me - any current fans of the game will know it's a farce and if the idea is to attract new fans then they probably won't gave heard of those players in the first place.

3 up and 1 down in 2019, of course

Durhamfootman wrote:3 up and 1 down in 2019, of course

That should make division 2 more interesting.

andy wrote:Temba Bavuma has joined Northants as overseas for new season

From May to July.

Joe burns and Glenn Maxwell will share overseas duties for Lancashire this coming season

Most successful domestic teams in cricket history:

Wins - Team name - Tournament

46 - New South Wales - Sheffield Shield / Pura Cup
41 - Mumbai - Ranji Trophy
33 - Yorkshire - County Championships
31 - Victoria - Sheffield Shield
29 - Transvaal / Gauteng / Lions / - Sunfoil Series / Currie Cup

Yorkshire seem to be the best county team by these records. Which is second best county team in England

Fair play to Glenn Maxwell in opting for a stint of domestic cricket in England ahead of the Cricket World Cup and Ashes series, rather than playing in the IPL. If Australia retain the World Cup and Ashes series, it is down to those attitudes Maxwell has displayed.

If I was director of England cricket, I would withdraw all contracted England players from the IPL.

meninblue wrote:Most successful domestic teams in cricket history:

Wins - Team name - Tournament

46 - New South Wales - Sheffield Shield / Pura Cup
41 - Mumbai - Ranji Trophy
33 - Yorkshire - County Championships
31 - Victoria - Sheffield Shield
29 - Transvaal / Gauteng / Lions / - Sunfoil Series / Currie Cup

Yorkshire seem to be the best county team by these records. Which is second best county team in England

I'll probably guess Surrey as the 2nd best county team

It is no coincidence that Yorkshire is also the finishing school for international cricketers, ask Sachin amongst others

Alviro Patterson wrote:

meninblue wrote:Most successful domestic teams in cricket history:

Wins - Team name - Tournament

46 - New South Wales - Sheffield Shield / Pura Cup
41 - Mumbai - Ranji Trophy
33 - Yorkshire - County Championships
31 - Victoria - Sheffield Shield
29 - Transvaal / Gauteng / Lions / - Sunfoil Series / Currie Cup

Yorkshire seem to be the best county team by these records. Which is second best county team in England

I'll probably guess Surrey as the 2nd best county team

It is no coincidence that Yorkshire is also the finishing school for international cricketers, ask Sachin amongst others

Indeed it is Surrey at 2nd.

Now i see why Sachin chose Yorkshire.