NatWest T20 Blast May Be Renamed 'English Premier League'

The top division "of the beefed-up 20-over competition may be rebranded as the English Premier League, or something similar, if it comes into being as expected in 2017," according to Richard Hobson of the LONDON TIMES. Proposals "are due to be discussed by the counties before" they are rubber-stamped by the England & Wales Cricket Board next month. A domestic structure review group led by Somerset Chair Andy Nash "is recommending that the NatWest t20 Blast moves to a genuine two-tier event with promotion and relegation, from its present formation of two groups split regionally." The ECB "agreed to introduce an English Premier League as far back as 2008, comprising the 18 counties plus two teams from overseas." But the plan "fell through before it could get off the ground in 2010 when the commercial deal with Allen Stanford, who was due to provide a side, fell through." This time, teams "would meet each other home and away to give 16 rather than the present 14 fixtures" (LONDON TIMES, 2/20).