So... Kent have been declared County Champions. They were awarded the cup on Sunday, and the ECB have made it official on their web site!
But... what about the cancelled games?
According to the competition rules (I read them so you don't have to!) teams are strongly encouraged to reschedule cancelled games - the home side are expected to arrange this, but should they not do so, the away side may step in and reschedule it themselves.
In Kent's case, they have two games which could theoretically be rescheduled; and were they to be replayed later in August, Kent would presumably be without their England players - in other words, there is every chance they would lose both games, and have to hand over the cup to Surrey!
However, there is a caveat/ get-out. Rescheduled games have to be personally approved by Clare Connor (she is explicitly named in the rules) so presumably if anyone did try to force replays, she would just not approve them.
I don't have a massive issue with any of this - as far as I am concerned, cancelled games are part of cricket, and they should probably just be voided there and then.
But I do think it is symptomatic of the way cricket tends to be run at ECB Towers - making rules which are then ignored when it isn't convenient! And that, I do have a bit of a problem with!
Yes it seems a bit, shall we say, strange that (a) the ECB strongly encourage cancelled to be played (b) none have been (c) they have only until the 17th August to do so.
ReplyDeleteEven more bizarre given the ECB's encouragement to re-arrange is that the ECB have announced Somerset as runners up in Div 2 yet Devon, 16 points behind, would over take them if they played their cancelled match against Wales and acquired more than 16 points. Not exactly impossible, not even improbable.
What the hell is going on ? Why have ECB announced the runner-up when (a) the rules suggest and (b) commonsense would suggest that Devon have every right to challenge for 2nd place by playing that cancelled match.
Tends to suggest something has been agreed but no one other than 'coaches, players, families and friends' have been told !
I should have added that Lancashire have been announced as champions (and thus automatically promoted) yet they have one match to re-arrange (against Worcs) which if they managed to lose heavily enough would mean that Somerset or even Devon could grab that automatic promotion place.
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