Ruining the C&G Cup

[DJ Ager]

Next year, the C&G will not the FA Cup of cricket.

Instead it will a rubbish league format with no minor county sides with just Ireland and Scotland (which is good for them).

This bad news for minor counties as this is the highlight of the season for them. I know there aren't many shocks but there are so many positives. I was proud of my home county, Wiltshire, when we almost beat Kent this year. Devon and Ireland won last year, with Herefordshire beating Middlesex a few years ago. There have been about 13 shocks in the competiton. Durham, then a minor county, beat Geoff Boycott's Yorkshire once. Thanks to the cup, Durham are now a minor county with Steve Harmison and Paul Collingwood. Plus many players have come out of minor county cricket thanks to the cup, like Shreck(Cornwall) and Read(Devon), to name a few.

It's a big shame.

 

[andrew_nixon]

Agreed. Cricket needs a knockout cup. With the national league going to a play each other once format, there is still room for it in the season.

Here's my format for a knock out cup.

Round 1

24 teams

Bottom 6 minor counties
The 6 UCCEs
MCC Young Cricketers
National teams of Jersey and Guernsey
Winners of previous seasons national club championship
Round 2

24 teams.

Netherlands, Denmark and top 14 minor counties join in

Round 3

32 teams

First Class Counties, Scotland and Ireland join

Then a straight knockout down to the final.

Draws at all stage are completely random, ie. no team is seeded.

 

[m_vaughan]

Couldnt agree more

 

[themuel1]

Agreed. Cricket needs a knockout cup. With the national league going to a play each other once format, there is still room for it in the season.

Here's my format for a knock out cup.

Round 1

24 teams

Bottom 6 minor counties
The 6 UCCEs
MCC Young Cricketers
National teams of Jersey and Guernsey
Winners of previous seasons national club championship
Round 2

24 teams.

Netherlands, Denmark and top 14 minor counties join in

Round 3

32 teams

First Class Counties, Scotland and Ireland join

Then a straight knockout down to the final.

Draws at all stage are completely random, ie. no team is seeded.

Agree about a knockout cup being vital, also , nice plan. As usual Andrew, you have it all worked out!

 

[Big_D]

With the national league going to a play each other once format....

Does anyone know how these new formats will affect county membership? Will C&G group games be included to compensate for the reduced National League?

 

[andrew_nixon]

Does anyone know how these new formats will affect county membership? Will C&G group games be included to compensate for the reduced National League?

I would assume so, otherwise the counties could have some pretty angry members on their hands.

 

[Big_D]

I would assume so, otherwise the counties could have some pretty angry members on their hands.

I wasn't too keen on being told I wasn't guaranteed a seat for the 20/20 games, as it takes me one hour to get to the ground I didn't bother. Having attended all home one day matches I felt that there could have been some sort of loyalty scheme in place. (Sorry for my off topic rant)

 

[Sureshot]

Reduced National League?

You mean Scotland dropping out?

 

[andrew_nixon]

Reduced National League?

You mean Scotland dropping out?

Scotland dropping out and going to a play once format.

I actually hope Scotland can claim one of the promotion spots this season because that'll embarrass the ECB a bit.

 

[Sureshot]

Maybe.

But Scotland are dropping out due to no Sponsorship money or not enough anyway.

 

[DJ Ager]

That is a great idea andrew nixon. Perhaps better than the original format.Superb!

 

[andrew_nixon]

Maybe.

But Scotland are dropping out due to no Sponsorship money or not enough anyway.

No, they're dropping out because the ECB don't want them in the tournament anymore. The sponsorship thing isn't an issue, as at the present moment in time they've got more sponsorship deals than ever, and have more money than they've ever had. This is set to increase thanks to new increased funding from the ICC and the greater sponsorship and TV money that will come from having ODI status.

If money was a problem, they wouldn't be in the expanded C&G Trophy from next season.

That is a great idea andrew nixon. Perhaps better than the original format.Superb!

Well the ICC stole my idea of having the qualifying stages of the ICC Champion's Trophy right before the actual competition and in the same country, so maybe the ECB will steal this one.

Sorry, they won't as it's too sensible.

 

[DJ Ager]

Like you say ECB don't do sensible. Like with the Twenty20 Cup, originally 5 matches, then, due to its sucess, decided to increase the number of matches, not to a sensible number like 10(home & away), no, 8. Some teams only play each other once, others twice. Confusing for fans, especially those not used to cricket. Mark Rampakash commented on this strange number of matches. It's also not sensible by the ECB to scrap the C&G Throphy system.

 

[andrew_nixon]

I say stick Ireland and Scotland in the Twenty20 Cup. Have 4 groups of 5 teams, you still have 8 group games, and you stop this best runner up crap.

 

[DJ Ager]

Couldn't agree more.