The panel is expected to report back in September, with its proposals then set to be discussed by ECB members, who will then begin to shape the structure of the domestic schedule for 2023 onwards
Sir Andrew Strauss has insisted England's fine start to life under new Test head coach Brendon McCullum does not mean the ECB's high-performance review is all for nothing.
McCullum's arrival and the appointment of Ben Stokes as captain have coincided with a remarkable change in fortune for the men's red-ball side, who have won four matches in a row after a run of one victory in 17 Tests.
It was that miserable stretch, and most particularly the dismal display in Australia over the winter, which triggered the review - led by Strauss.
The panel is expected to report back in September, with its proposals set to be discussed by ECB members, who will then begin to shape the structure of the domestic schedule for 2023 onwards.
Strauss has stressed, though, that recent results will not have a huge bearing on the suggestions raised by the review.
"Does that mean all is well and we don't really need this review? I don't believe so. We need it every bit as much as we did back then," he wrote in a blog on the ECB website.
Sir Andrew Strauss, left, is leading the ECB high-performance review [Getty Images]
"Naturally I'm delighted to see this change in fortunes and I’ve loved watching the thrilling way the team have been playing. Rob Key warned us to hang on for the ride, and he and Brendon are certainly delivering on that.
"But the high performance review is about building sustained success. We don't just want to succeed in one series, for one year, or in one format at a time. We want to be best in the world across all three men's formats – Test, 50-over and T20 internationals. By this we mean that in five years we are No.1-ranked team in at least one format and at least No.3 in all of them – and to be able to sustain this for years at a time."
The review's remit includes looking at the amount of cricket played in each format domestically each year, as well as how the game can produce enough elite cricketers to challenge on every international stage.
"We will have to ensure we focus our resources where they have the most impact. And we need clear responsibility and accountability at all levels"
Ben Stokes' recent retirement from ODIs - he later said players "are not cars" and could not just be filled with fuel and put back on the road - was a wake-up call for administrators about the sheer quantity of cricket in the schedule, both domestically and internationally.
Strauss accepted that the landscape of the game is changing. English cricket, he insisted, needs to move with it.
"The game globally is undergoing fundamental change. Domestic leagues have grown in power and pull, we now have an ICC international white-ball competition scheduled every year, and players have an unprecedented choice of what cricket they want to play," he wrote.
"We need to future-proof our game. Winning four Test matches – thrilling though it has been – doesn't change that need. We need a system that's aligned from top to bottom, that ensures a strong, high-performing, domestic game that fans love and which provides us with the pipeline of England stars ready for the international stage."
The review was triggered by England's dismal Ashes display [Getty Images]
Reports have suggested that the review has considered various options, some of which will seem extreme to existing county members. They include overseas rounds of the County Championship, a cut in the number of first-class matches from 14 to 10, and regional representative cricket being played underneath The Hundred.
Strauss, though, claimed that some of the proposals being reported had not been talked about among the panel.
"I recognise that there is a lot of interest in what any options around domestic structures and competitions might look like – indeed, I continue to read speculation attributed to the review which we haven't even discussed," he said. "However, it's important to reiterate that this review is about more than that – it’s about the England performance setups and pathways every bit as much as domestic competitions."
There was, however, an indication in Strauss's most recent comments that reducing the number of matches played in a season would be beneficial to the purposes of the review.
"Players need to spend quality time on task," he wrote.
"This means competitions delivering the best versus the best, playing in conditions which are representative of the international game, an appropriate balance of matches, training, and rest, and incentives to attract, develop, and retain talent."
The review needs to report back before the autumn to allow a quick decision on the future structure of the game, and allow fixture lists to be drawn up in good time: the last two seasons, when for various reasons the schedules were not confirmed until mid-January, were the source of huge frustration for county CEOs and supporters.
Under Ben Stokes, left, England have won their last four Test matches [Getty Images]
"We will now use these principles to guide us through the remainder of the review. With the work of the external panel complete, the job now is to translate these over the next few weeks into a series of options for the game to discuss," Strauss wrote.
"There are big issues to grapple with. I think the work we have done so far demonstrates that we need clarity, alignment and buy-in to what our priorities are, and to be able to make clear choices based on these, even where these may be uncomfortable. We will have to ensure we focus our resources where they have the most impact. And we need clear responsibility and accountability at all levels."
As yet, no consultation has been had with supporters, though in his blog Strauss paid lip service to the fact fans will be brought into the conversation "this summer". Exactly how those discussions will take place is not clear.
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