Counties to vote on reform cutting number of matches

The 18 first-class counties will this week finalise plans to cut the County Championship and Twenty20 Blast to 12 matches in each competition next season in a significant restructure of the domestic game.

- Matt Hughes

The most recent attempt by the England and Wales Cricket Board to cut the fixture list was thwarted three years ago, when a review led by Sir Andrew Strauss calling for a 10-match Championship season was rejected by the counties, but after three months of talks there is now widespread agreement on reducing the volume of cricket despite complaints from county members.

The counties are understood to have agreed to cut the T20 Blast from 14 group-stage fixtures to 12, allowing finals day to be brought forward to the end of July before the start of the Hundred, with this week's meetings to focus on a restructure of the County Championship.

A consultation process led by the ECB's professional game committee (PGC) gave the counties five different options for next season, with two to be put forward after the meetings of the counties before a final decision next month.