James Harris wants to see ECB schedule cuts

Glamorgan veteran seamer James Harris has backed a reduction in County Championship matches in order to protect fast bowlers.

Talks across England and Wales are being had to reduce the County Championship season to 12 matches from the current 14 with many players and coaches believing that the current schedule is too congested.

Speaking after a win within three-days for Glamorgan, former chair of the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA), Harris said: "The schedule's really tough and the amount of recovery people get to put performances in is probably not enough."

In the current structure, all teams play seven matches in an eight-week period across April and May before heading straight into T20 Blast action, interrupted midway through for more four-day cricket, back to T20, then to 50-over cricket or alternatively The Hundred for the cream of the crop and then back to four-day cricket. It’s relentless. Harris, 35, missed the first four matches of the season with injury.

Many county fans oppose the idea with the impression that red-ball cricket is become a secondary priority or worse for most counties.

"Just being on the treadmill and playing all the time is not conducive to high performance for everybody.

“You end up in weeks like this where it's just a case of whoever is fit in whatever team around the country (plays). There has to be give and take with all the extra T20 cricket, white-ball cricket, the Hundred and everything else.

"We might have to give up a couple of Championship games to make sure the game is fit and healthy for everybody, and we find the best schedule to produce the highest standard."

Other suggestions amongst county enthusiasts are to revert to three-day County Championship matches as was seen a mere 60 years ago, also a format played by National Counties (formerly ‘Minor Counties’) just a drop below professional level. However, an issue comes with that when rain interrupts play, albeit how limited it has been seen so far this season. Over rates are also a subject of distress for those who have been watching county cricket for more than 25 years.

A three-day Championship would likely bring results few and far between.

"It's a lovely idea, but it depends on the size of a club's staff and their seam-bowling group. It's really hard to rest someone when you're on a roll and playing well. Fans want to see the best possible team every week if they can.” Harris said in response to the idea of resting players to make use of the full squad size, exceeding 20 in most cases. Harris’ point also that the cut of games would increase standard and entertainment, rather than just ensuring players stay fit.

In the case of reductions and the domestic one-day competition being generally given second-rate measure by many fans and broadcasters alike, squad sizes being reduced if the secondary players aren’t going to be required for rotation is another option, although Harris disagrees: “You're still going to have injuries; of any seam-bowling group you could have two or three out at any one time.”

Since it’s first mention of the potential schedule in years to come, more traditional fans have mentioned the case of bowlers who play specifically one format. Would playing just 12 matches in a season be too many? In Harris’ case, after being injured for four, it would mean he only plays eight. Surely that isn’t too many, fans would argue?

The balance is difficult to attain but it’s clear the ECB, clubs and fast bowlers want protection for the fast bowlers to produce more exciting 90 miles an hour prospects and less workload is the most likely option.