NICK HOWSON: Managing director of county cricket Neil Snowball says the 2024 season is likely to look similar to 2023 and that the start of the new campaign is not a deadline for a structure and calendar to be agreed upon
The England and Wales Cricket Board admit changes to the domestic schedule may never materialise after revealing the schedule for 2024 is likely to be largely unchanged.
Two elements of the 17-point high-performance review, around the structure, standard and intensity of the three competitions, have yet to achieve universal approval.
Central to the proposals was a remodelling of the County Championship (a six-team top division, two conferences below) and a reduction to 10 matches, the One-Day Cup being moved to April and the T20 Blast fitting in between May and July.
Many of the 15 member-owned counties reported widespread dissatisfaction with the ideas, leading to a logjam in negotiations.
The Cricketer understands a meeting between the ECB and the 18 county chairs is planned for February 23 in the hope of reaching a consensus.
Many of the proposals contained within Andrew Strauss' high-performance review have been passed, bar two around the domestic schedule (Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Chair Richard Thompson has previously stressed that the fixture list for 2024 had to be agreed upon before the 2023 campaign started, so teams had full knowledge of what they were playing for.
But it appears that the start of the new campaign on April 6 is no longer a cut-off date. Indeed, it seems unlikely that any seismic changes will be implemented next year, or even beyond.
"We haven't got a cliff edge where we've got to make any big decisions between now and the start of the season because the volume of cricket will probably carry on as it is through 2023-24," ECB managing director of county cricket Neil Snowball said. "We will continue to have discussions with the counties over how we can increase the quality and intensity of those competitions.
"There are no big decisions still to be made. We're sticking with the volume of cricket in 2023 and will most likely roll through 2024.
"I don't think there is anything fundamentally wrong with the three competitions - I still think we have some of the best domestic competitions in the world"
"The conversations around structures and formats will continue but there are no big outstanding decisions that have to be made before the start of the season. We've got a pretty good idea of what that is going to look like in 2024."
He added: "In terms of any further work that we need to do, there is not a lot outstanding. There were a couple of bits around promotion and relegation, we've got discussions ongoing, but I don't foresee anything dramatic happening."
Asked whether a further delay in approving any changes could lead to the proposals being permanently kicked into the long grass, Snowball accepted a lack of county support remains a stumbling block.
"Potentially, yes," said the ex-Warwickshire chief executive. "That is for us to continue to work on with the counties. Any changes to format structures have to get the support of the counties and we'll continue to look at that.
Proposed changes to the calendar included the Royal London Cup, currently played in August and September, being shifted to April (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
"We'll continue to work with the counties to see if there are any improvements we could make but that has to be with their support.
"They could all continue the same which I think would be disappointing but that is something that we will continue to work on and make those changes in the future.
"There is a determination to do that but as always it is about finding something people can get behind.
"I don't think there is anything fundamentally wrong with the three competitions - I still think we have some of the best domestic competitions in the world - it is just how it fits together and that is the bit we need to challenge ourselves on."
Welcome to www.thecricketer.com - the online home of the world’s oldest cricket magazine. Breaking news, interviews, opinion and cricket goodness from every corner of our beautiful sport, from village green to national arena.