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Counties are offered £1.3m a year to ring T20 changes

The Kia Oval: AFP/Getty Images
The Kia Oval: AFP/Getty Images

County cricket bosses have been offered at least £1.3million a year to pave the way for a new English Twenty20 competition.

The England and Wales Cricket Board are confident the financial carrot will be sufficient for the counties to vote in a change to the governing body’s constitution to enable eight new regional teams, rather than counties, to line up for the competition, starting in 2020.

Surrey have made no secret of their objection to the proposal in the past, with county chief executive Richard Gould previously telling Standard Sport: “We have spoken to our supporters and many of them would not be happy about another team, with another name, playing at The Kia Oval.”

But prior to today’s meeting at Lord’s, Surrey would not be drawn on whether they would vote for the change, which would pave the way for the new competition.

Surrey and the other counties were given the proposals in full and encouraged to vote for change with the additional cash bonus on offer. The proposals said: “Each first-class county which has signed the media deed would receive a guaranteed minimum annual sum of £1.3million.”

The ECB’s format is thought to follow that of Australia’s Big Bash and bosses are hopeful it will go on to rival that and the Indian Premier League.

While the counties were asked today to vote for change it is believed the actual process will be conducted in due course by a postal vote.