PIAC News ✔️

[ad_1] Mick Newell has urged the English game to resist the temptation to restructure the County Championship into conferences. Newell, director of cricket at Nottinghamshire (and, for now at least, an England selector), has instead pleaded for the ECB to persist with promotion and relegation and suggested the reorganisation into conferences would only allow mediocre sides to "hide" in mid-table without the scrutiny that relegation can bring. His comments come just as the ECB announced a working party , chaired by Wasim Khan, charged with looking into the future structure of the domestic game. And while no conclusions have yet been reached, it is clear the popularity of the conference idea is growing among coaches at the first-class counties. They argue that it would lessen the urge to make short-term decisions - such as preferring Kolpak registrations over opportunities for young players - and reinvigorate the competition by providing all teams involved an opportunity to wi...

[ad_1] Leicestershire 267 for 5 (Horton 66, Ackermann 65) v Derbyshire Scorecard Paul Horton and Colin Ackermann hit brisk half-centuries for Leicestershire after play finally got underway in their Specsavers County Championship match against Derbyshire at the Fischer County Ground. After two days when constant heavy rain rendered the Grace Road outfield unplayable, improved conditions and much hard work on the part of the groundstaff, enabled the game to start shortly after lunch, with Derbyshire captain Billy Godleman exercising the away team's prerogative to bowl first. The pitch looked a good one, however, and despite having been under covers for such a long period, offered the Derbyshire seamers little assistance. Nor was there much swing to be had in the cold conditions, and Horton and fellow opener Michael Carberry took full toll of some wayward bowling. Carberry hit three fours and a six in one Ravi Rampaul over, and looked set for his first half-century for Leicestershire...

[ad_1] Middlesex 194 (Eskinazi 94, Hogan 5-49, Van der Gugten 4-63) drew with Glamorgan 38 for 4 (Murtagh 4-12) Scorecard Middlesex captain Dawid Malan wants the ECB to experiment with a pink ball in the County Championship to prevent more early season washouts. Only 58 overs were bowled during Middlesex's Division Two clash against Glamorgan at Lord's, with rain on the final morning ensuring the match was abandoned as a draw. The home of Glamorgan Cricket is to be renamed Sophia Gardens Cardiff after its partnership with its title sponsor SSE ended earlier this year. Sophia Gardens Cardiff, which echoes the name used by the venue from 1967 to 2007 will be used immediately, with the ground currently undergoing a rebranding process. But Malan feels it could have been a different story with a pink ball in use on the second day, when no play was possible due to overcast conditions - although the Lord's floodlights were switched on. "We could have had a full day we'...

[ad_1] Somerset 216 (Renshaw 112, Brooks 5-57) and 200 (Abell 82, Coad 4-61) beat Yorkshire 96 and 202 (Leaning 68, C Overton 3-43) by 118 runs Scorecard Somerset's seamers bowled them to a 118-run victory over Yorkshire at Taunton and a second success in as many Specsavers County Championship games this season. Craig Overton, Lewis Gregory, Tim Groenewald and Tom Abell shared the final day wickets as Yorkshire were dismissed for 202, chasing 321 to win. Jack Leaning offered most resistance with 68. It is the first time since 1993 that Somerset have won their opening two Championship fixtures. They took 20 points to Yorkshire's three Starting the morning on 49 for 1, needing a further 272 to win, Yorkshire lost Cheteshwar Pujara to the first ball, caught behind off Gregory, and went on to struggle against some accurate seam bowling. Andy Hurry (Somerset director of cricket): "The magic wand behind winning our first two games is all the hard work put in by the players an...