open365
International Vice-Captain
GeraintIsMyHero said:The National League is hugely devalued IMO, not necessarily by having 5 less overs, but by the fact that it's only 8 games, and you only play each team once, which brings in a random element - the purpose of a league is surely to show which side can prevail in all conditions? Just off the top of my head a side could get very lucky by being a batsman friendly side and playing teams whose strength lies in their attacks, on flat tracks. It's a farce, if I was a Durham fan i'd be peeved as well
And a straight knockout for the Cup is obviously the best idea. You have the National League for your league, and the Twenty20 has a group stage anyway, and as Neil said, Devon don't get to play, neither do Shropshire, Cheshire, etc. Stupid, I can't help but think this season the league and cup winners would both have justifiable claims to being the best one-day side in the country, yet it should always be the league winners who get to make that claim.
Alas, bigger crowds means more money for the counties, which means better development, and it's better for the national side in the long run. I just feel that they could bring in the crowds differently.
More money does not equal a better national side, or a better county system, players playing in an effectively challenging and meaningfull domestic format does.