Counties to vote on radical shake-up to cut matches from domestic cricket

Justin Broad of Northamptonshire appeals for an lbw in Northamptonshire’s Championship match against Middlesex. There may be fewer such games next year. Photograph: Andy Kearns/Getty Images

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.

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.