The England and Wales Cricket Board has been told the current men’s domestic cricket schedule is “unsustainable” by the Professional Cricketers Association.
The 2024 fixture lists for the LV= Insurance County Championship and Vitality Blast were unveiled on Thursday alongside the schedule for the women’s game.
While there are now only 15 County Championship fixture slots instead of 16, the Twenty20 Vitality Blast competition will be played almost entirely on Thursday nights, Friday nights and weekends between the end of May to mid-July.
PCA chief executive Rob Lynch said: “On a day that is full of excitement and anticipation, the announcement of the 2024 fixtures is a reminder that the men’s domestic calendar in England and Wales is unsustainable and is in need of reform for the interests of current and future professional cricketers and therefore the future of our game.
“We are aware the ECB acknowledges the schedule is not ideal and following recent game-wide conversations, we understand the game has an ambition to look seriously at the 2025 fixture list.
“We have heard this commitment in the past and the professional game has not delivered. Collectively, we need to act to advance player welfare to future-proof our sport and the PCA wishes to fully collaborate with the ECB and game to make this a reality.”
Last month the PCA held its annual Player Summit and the domestic men’s schedule was high up on the agenda.
Players highlighted the “dangerous” travel windows that occurred during an unrelenting 2023 fixture list, specifically the Vitality Blast given the quick turnaround in matches.
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The PCA raised concerns with the Professional Game committee, but Essex bowler Sam Cook added: “My biggest issue is the welfare of players and support staff being disregarded, particularly with regards to travel throughout high-intensity periods of T20 cricket.
“This has been repeatedly stressed in numerous PCA Summits and despite this, the schedule still provides the same problems by not focusing on player welfare.”
PCA chair James Harris welcomed the increase in double headers between the men and women’s game, but warned the domestic schedule must evolve.
An added complication is a busy international summer, with the men’s T20 World Cup hosted by the West Indies and United States in June.
“The men’s domestic schedule must evolve further to meet the needs of modern professional athletes,” Harris added.
“While the opportunities players have are no doubt greater than ever before, the county system must adapt to allow players the chance to progress their careers in a way that respects the welfare of the individuals who perform on the pitch.
“The recent Player Summit saw the men’s county schedule as a high priority with the players in attendance displaying a dissatisfaction at the structure following research within their dressing rooms.
“As a union, we are constantly talking to our membership, with formal meetings such as the Summit, AGM, pre-season meetings and surveys supplemented by constant informal communication. It is apparent things need to change for 2025.”
ECB county cricket managing director Neil Snowball is confident that the 2024 schedule strikes the right balance for all parties.
However, with 122 of the 126 Vitality Blast group-stage fixtures scheduled across Thursday to Sunday slots, Gloucestershire’s David Payne has raised the pressures being put on current players.
Payne said: “Looking specifically at our fixtures at Gloucestershire, there are a number of occasions that do not allow appropriate time between fixtures.
“Finishing a T20 game late on a Thursday night in Cardiff, followed by playing another T20 the following night in Bristol, and expecting to be at peak condition to play a four-day game at Scarborough on the Sunday morning is one example.
“This sort of scheduling simply does not allow for high performance, or look after the welfare of the players.
“As a game we have to work together so player welfare is prioritised to create the best environment for a spectacle that allows the growth of the game.”
'Still England's best bowler' – Australia's Lyon stunned by Anderson retirement
James Anderson retiring from Test cricket shocked Nathan Lyon as the Australian spinner believes England's veteran would still be their best bowler.
England great Anderson will call time to his storied red-ball career when Brendon McCullum's side host West Indies at Lord's, starting on July 10.
The Lancashire bowler leaves the international scene as England's all-time leading wicket-taker in Test cricket, with 700 dismissals in 187 appearances.
His wicket-taking heroics are the most by any pace bowler in Test history, and Anderson's decision came as welcome news to Ashes rival Lyon.
"Obviously, Jimmy Anderson is in the conversation of being the greatest fast bowler of all time," Lyon told BBC Radio 5 Live.
"Good luck to Jimmy and I look forward to playing with him at Lancashire, but I'm glad he won't be coming out to the next Ashes."
Anderson's hand appeared somewhat forced as England started planning for the future, setting their sights on The Ashes in Australia across late 2025 and into 2026.
By the time that Ashes series arrives, Anderson will be 43.
Owing to Anderson's age, England coach McCullum, managing director Rob Key and captain Ben Stokes, want to test the likes of Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts and Gus Atkinson as pace-bowling options.
With Stuart Broad already announcing his retirement after his last outing against Australia, Lyon could not believe England's decision to let Anderson go.
"My care factor for England is pretty low, but I was pretty surprised when I did read that they tapped him on the shoulder," added Lyon.
"I look at James and what he's been able to do for England cricket, it's pretty remarkable.
"This is just my opinion – I still think he would be England's best bowler."
Windies get major boost in rankings ahead of the T20 World Cup
A thumping 3-0 T20 International series sweep over South Africa propelled West Indies up the ICC Men’s T20I Team Rankings into fourth place, ahead of the much-anticipated T20 World Cup.
Despite missing a few big faces, West Indies managed to sweep the series, and that along with the rise in rankings should provide a significant boost to the confidence of the Darren Sammy-coached side heading into the June 1-29 showpiece to be hosted in the Caribbean and United States.
With the series win, West Indies (254 rating points), the champions of the 2012 and 2016 editions of the T20 World Cup, are at the fourth place in the list led by 2007 champions India (264 rating points), with 2021 champions Australia (257 rating points) and defending champions England (254 rating points) at the second and third place respectively.
There were individual bright spots for West Indies in the series, who gained substantially in the T20I Player Rankings. This included stand-in skipper Brandon King, whose 159 runs helped him jump up five places to the eighth position in the Men’s T20I Batting Rankings.
His opening partner, Johnson Charles, who hit a blistering 69 from 26 balls in a Player of the Match performance in the third game of the series, gained 17 spots to reach the 20th place.
Meanwhile, Kyle Mayers (31st place in Batting Rankings) and Gudakesh Motie (27th place in Bowling Rankings) were the other beneficiaries from the recently concluded series.
These results bode well for the Men in Maroon, who will be looking for a record third title during their home T20 World Cup. They are placed in Group C along Afghanistan, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Uganda.
They start their campaign against Papua New Guinea in Guyana on Sunday.
ICC Men's T20I Team Rankings
India -264 points
Australia - 257 points
England - 254 points
West Indies - 252 points
New Zealand - 250 points
Second washout stops England and Pakistan's T20 World Cup preparation
For the second time this series, England and Pakistan saw a game abandoned due to rain, this time at Sophia Gardens on Tuesday.
After their opening game at Headingley was washed out, the teams endured another frustrating day in Cardiff as the umpires called off the third match without a single bowl being bowled.
England’s 23-run victory at Edgbaston on Saturday means they have an unassailable 1-0 lead in the series.
However, Pakistan have one last chance to level things at The Oval on Thursday before both teams head off to the United States for the T20I World Cup in June.
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