It was very reassuring to read of the ECB's decision not to endorse David Morgan's plan to downgrade the County Championship in favour of Twenty20. I wouldn't mind betting that most of the 25,000 fan responses to the questionnaire, mine included, were of that opinion. Lined alongside the support of the players themselves, the Board had little alternative but to agree on a schedule which includes an unchanged first-class format.
Replacing the CB40 with a 50-over competition is probably the right decision as long as one-day internationals remain popular. The games are long enough to test different skills from those required by T20 thrashes, and the number of matches will be reduced sufficiently to stop another ridiculously early start to the season.
Having T20 games mainly on Fridays is a good move, I think. Sky TV may disagree, but tough! That day enables families from attending without facing struggles to wake up for school the next day and means cricket gives the sporting weekend a cracking start without a clash with football. The concentrated period of group matches was a double-edged sword. It created a bit of hype, rent the Championship season in two yet left T20 fans waiting another six weeks to find out who won the blooming trophy!
Foreign mercenaries jetted in for half a dozen games, or even fewer if they suddenly became wanted by their countries, none in the case of Chris Gayle! Critics may argue that the competition will be the poorer for the lack of such superstars. However, it means that the proper overseas cricketers and county pros will get the chance to show their skills instead of being usurped in favour of an occasional two-over burst by a so-called specialist earning five times their salary for a few weeks' work. Yes, it's nice to see a Nannes, Murali, Styris or Warner, but watching David Miller strike those sixes at Cardiff, Mascarenhas or Azeem Rafiq tie batsmen down or any amount of brilliant fielding shows that T20 works as a spectacle whoever is playing.
Hopefully we won't experience many more summers as cold and wet as 2012 but, let's face it, even South Africa has had its share of rain during the Champions League this week. Having a sensible schedule which doesn't require teams wearing several sweaters on a pitch swept clear of snow, before the Easter eggs have been opened, has to be applauded.
