Post
by David Pardoe » Sun Jan 14, 2018 5:31 pm
It might just be that the problems that many have described are in fact the challenges of the competition..
ie., transport, getting players, finding suitable venues, etc..
As regards getting players, I think it helps for team captains to make an early start, say, at least 4 weeks before the match date.
... same goes for the venue selection...
I`d also advise that captains should appoint at least 1 assistant to help pick players and assist with other admin matters..
Each Union will have its own problems, but I`m afraid that some of it is about finding solutions, and removing the `can`t be bothered` hat... and putting on the `can do` hat. I agree its not easy, but I think most counties could field at least one county team if they put there minds to it.
Picking players and finding clubs are greatly assisted these days by the amount of web data and web sites out there. The web can also help with choosing venues and identifying contacts..
As to changing the rules and formats for the County competitions...
Care is needed here.. for instance widening the grading boundaries would help captains with player selection.
Some special measures might help certain counties and Unions.. eg, allowing East and Western Unions to each field a combined counties Open team might help.
Splitting Yorks into the 3 Ridings might help with there geography. ie, a massive Yorks creates travel problems I think..
Even splitting this into 3 for the U160, U140, U120, and U100 sections might be worth thinking about. You might further address the NCCU geography issues by creating separate `east` and `West` Zonal events.
Yes, allowing `wild card` entries for teams might help, for cases where no representative County team has been entered in any of the sections.
Some of these points would require the ECF to sit down with the various Union bodies to discuss the issues.
I`m sure that the number of Counties represented could be boosted by a host of measures, but care must be exercised to avoid throwing the baby out with the bath water, so to speak.
The measures suggested regarding fielding 6 and 8 board teams dont really stack up, as said previously... and neither does the micro counties competition idea that has been floated. It just wont work in my opinion.
BRING BACK THE BCF