Just gone on line to look at your website – Perhaps you could telephone me when you have a minute. I would like to discuss a few things with you.

As regards Durham’s entry into the First Class game, apart from the fact that they had been trying for years, their track record to date is not too bad is it? Pity then that they apparently saw fit to vote with the other 17 counties to deny their former Minor Counties colleagues the opportunity to compete in the Friends Provident 50 Over KO Competition?

I think that the Minor Counties should be treated in the same way as the Blue Square Premier League where Burton Albion, long associated with the Cloughs and Peter Taylor have won promotion to the Football League under the current stewardship of Roy McFarland.

I cannot see the point of two first class cricket leagues if the teams in the second division cannot get relegated. I bet Glamorgan and South Africa’s 2nd X1 (oops sorry, Northants) would be sweating if they could be relegated to ‘The Spam, Jam & Bam Minor Counties League’ to be replaced by Staffordshire etc.

I think the first class game has not done its duty by the Minor Counties teams, but then, as someone elsewhere once said, it is unlikely that turkeys would vote for Christmas.

I like the idea of a Minor Counties Cricket Knockout Competition (Don’t they have one already) -m Perhaps the final could be played at the new all singing – all dancing Edgbaston County Ground?

One final point – Do you think the Sophia Gardens (Sorry ‘The Watchamacallit Stadium’) pitch will last five days of test cricket, providing England can prolong the agony for that length of time or do you like me think the game could be done and dusted in a little over three days. After all their pitches aren’t the greatest are they? Perhaps the new ‘hover-cover’ might help? What do you think?

Best of luck with Spin – You deserve to be successful!!!

Yours in sport

David Lloyd
The BILL LLOYD Memorial Trust Fund

There’s no automatic progression from minor to first-class county. It took Durham a long time to attain that status and owed something to their geographical location, decent commercial potential and their cricketing case. There is considerable doubt that any of the current minor counties would even want to become first-class counties.

It might make sense for a couple of the stronger counties to be considered. Perhaps Devon and Staffs. That way, the ECB could consider splitting the championship into three divisions (Scotland, Ireland and Holland could also be considered) and cricket’s reach would surely spread. As it would involve the existing first-class counties agreeing to divide the money they receive from the ECB into smaller portions, there seems little chance of that happening.

I’d like to see the minor counties (and Scotland et al) involved in an FA Cup style 2020 competition, viewable on one of the free to air TV channels. I think it would attract more people to the game, act as an incentive to the minor counties and open the door to more commercial opportunities. It’s not on the agenda at present, though.

What do you think?

Cheers,

GD