One step forward-two steps back

Cricket has joined Football in making a Champions League with the best teams from around the world competing in a multi-million pound competition.

My first thoughts are that this is good for the sport. The ECB have obviously researched a lot of time and money into this project and have come up with a pretty good product. Getting rid of the pro-40 league is an excellent call, seeing as it isn't even played at International level I can't believe it was even introduced in the first place.

The ECB have also gone for what the fans want. Very few sports put the fans first, but the ECb's researched showed that we want more 20/20 cricket on friday nights. I couldn't agree more 20/20 is hugely exciting and more than even before has attracted sell out crowds all over the country.

Everyone's concern is that it may effect the amount of test cricket played and eliminate the game altogether. In the short run as has been shown already it will only improve the game. Run-rates are at an all-time high in test Cricket and the 5-day game has never been so exciting.

Whether the game survive will depend how how sucessful this 20/20 competition is. I do hope the 4-day games stay alive and that the ECB can accomidate both competitions.

The experenced gaine by some of the English firnge players will be vital in building a team for the next World Cup. The more Cricket they are playing the better in my opinion.

So overall this is a good thing for English Cricket. Yes things are changing but every sport changes now and again and I can't see this change making any negative impact on the sport.