Essex County Cricket Club is the second county to announce its "intention to stand against a new city-based Twenty20 competition," planned for '20, according to the BBC. England & Wales Cricket Board rules "need to be altered to remove the right of all 18 counties to play in the new tournament." Essex follows Middlesex in its "refusal to support the change." But Durham CCC Chair Ian Botham said that his county was "fully committed" in its support for the new tournament. Botham: "It's financially very sensible to do it and if we prepare properly and come up with the right formula throughout the summer -- just look at the success of the Big Bash in Australia and the IPL [Indian Premier League] -- then it's proven that the format has great benefit." Meanwhile, Essex Chair John Faragher said that the County Championship, one-day and T20 competitions "must be protected." The changes require the support of 31 out of 41 of the ECB's voting members. Faragher added, "We are focused on expanding cricket in Essex, East Anglia and Metropolitan London, ensuring there are opportunities for all age and ability groups, male and female, to be actively involved in the game. We believe that as a result of the proposed changes, these opportunities will be reduced, that our income overall will suffer and the first-class game will be diminished" (BBC, 4/19).
