The England & Wales Cricket Board announced "shock proposals" for a new format of the game when it revealed its new eight-team tournament in '20 "will be played over 100 balls per innings and not Twenty20," according to Nick Hoult of the London TELEGRAPH. Teams will bowl 15 traditional six-ball overs but with another 10 balls "to be used tactically in the innings." Further details are "still to be decided." The proposals were presented to the 18 counties and the Marylebone Cricket Club at Lord’s on Thursday "after consultation with broadcasters." The new idea will "make it distinct" from the existing county T20 Blast competition that will continue to run when the ECB launches the new city-based competition in two summers' time. ECB CEO Tom Harrison said, "This is a fresh and exciting idea which will appeal to a younger audience and attract new fans to the game" (TELEGRAPH, 4/19).
PLAYER REACTION: In London, Ed Malyon reported the "radical new proposal" was "met with surprise and bemusement" by county players but Stuart Broad, who has an ECB central contract, "gushed about the new tournament on Sky Sports News." Broad said, "I'm hugely optimistic, I love the fact that it's different to all the other tournaments worldwide -- 15 six-ball overs and then the pressure of a 10-ball over to finish. I love the fact it's got a slightly different unique selling point in there, a shorter game than T20, finishing at nine o'clock -- perfect for children and families and a great night out" (INDEPENDENT, 4/19). The BBC's Dan Roan reported Southampton, Birmingham, Leeds, London, Manchester, Cardiff and Nottingham were "selected as venues for the five-week competition." Lord's and The Oval will host newly-created teams in the competition, with the Ageas Bowl, Edgbaston, Headingley, Old Trafford, the Swalec Stadium and Trent Bridge the other grounds chosen. The BBC and Sky Sports will broadcast live TV coverage of the new men's and women's domestic tournament each summer from '20-24 (BBC, 4/19).
