Weather Hits Twenty20 Cup Schedule

The bad weather sweeping the country is threatening to ruin this year’s Twenty20
Cup with the cricket authorities forced to hold an emergency meeting to review
the playing schedule after a number of group games were washed out.

The emergency meeting, called by the ECB and comprising of all the
first-class county chief executives, discussed a number of action points to able
to maximise play in the Twenty20 Cup.

With the playing schedule so condensed the option of rescheduling group
matches in the hope of improved weather was unfeasible leaving the organisers
with a dilemma as how to finalise the line-up for the quarter-finals.

An agreement was however reached that an option of up to one hour’s
additional scheduled time to complete play would be approved as a temporary
regulation in 2007.

The Counties also proposed that, as part of the ongoing Domestic Structure
Review and with the growing interest of spectators in Twenty20 cricket, that the
feasibility of reserve days be considered for future years.

ECB chief executive David Collier commented: ‘The positive and constructive
views expressed to combat these exceptional weather conditions is a credit to
all Counties.

‘Everyone is mindful that Twenty20 is people’s cricket and is the season
centre piece for domestic cricket supporters. Counties and ECB are working in
partnership to seek to maximise play and also maintain the credibility of this
important competition.’