New US T20 competition no threat to county cricket at present - Gough

There are fears that the latest franchise tournament - backed by significant Indian Premier League investment, and played at the height of the English summer - will have knock-on effects for the game in this country.

Overseas players could start choosing America over the T20 Blast and/or The Hundred, while more serious is the concern that the money available could nudge more young English players down the non first-class route.

It is an evolving and ever-changing landscape globally as the IPL juggernaut spreads its wings.

However, Gough is sanguine about the MLC and how it might impact Yorkshire and their county rivals.

“It’s not going to affect us in county cricket at this moment,” he said.

“It’s not going to affect the county game.

“As I see it at the moment, I don’t think any of our players can go and play in it; they’re all contracted.

“One of the things I did when I came in was I got players who I wanted to be part of Yorkshire on long contracts.

“They ain’t going anywhere at the minute.”

Where Gough does foresee potential problems is if players stop signing central contracts.

The proliferation of T20 competitions across the world - there is now talk of cash-rich Saudi Arabia entering the fray, once more backed by considerable IPL dough - is ushering ever closer the day when franchises will become a leading player’s principal employer as opposed to his country/county.

As a theoretical example, Harry Brook could be employed directly by an IPL franchise with stakes in T20 tournaments throughout the globe, earning substantially more than he would for England/Yorkshire.

More likely in his case going forward, perhaps, is some sort of bespoke arrangement that would see him part-contracted to a franchise and part-contracted to the England and Wales Cricket Board; Brook is rare in that he not only excels in all formats but also prizes them, appreciating the value of first-class cricket.

“I don’t think centrally-contracted players can play (in MLC), but the only worry would be for the ECB if players stopped signing central contracts,” said Gough.

“That’s the only contentious bit about it.

“It might affect England if we start talking big bucks, but I don’t think it is going to be major big bucks at the minute.

“It’s something that’s similar to every other tournament - they all pay about the same.

“But if it becomes another IPL in America, and you’ve seen how American sports can go to another level, it might be different.

“I’m not sure that cricket has got the tools to be that big in America; they might throw a bit of money in to start with, but they’re not going to be paying those massive bucks.”

Gough continued: “It’s only the big names really who it would be a concern.

"We’re talking international players here, the big England players - Stokes, Buttler, Archer, they’re the ones that would be concerning. It’s not going to be your Andersons, your Broads, your Roots, people like that.

"Yes, it’s your Brooks, but he hasn’t even got a central contract, and everyone knows my thoughts about that (Gough believes it absurd that Brook does not already have a central contract).”

The proof of the MLC pudding will be in the eating, with the inaugural event running from July 13-30.

Six franchises will battle it out - Seattle Orcas, Washington Freedom, MI New York, San Francisco Unicorns, Los Angeles Knight Riders and Team Texas.

Liam Plunkett, the former Yorkshire and England bowling all-rounder, will represent San Francisco Unicorns alongside his former Yorkshire team-mate Aaron Finch.

Other big name recruits include South Africa’s Quinton de Kock, the Australians Mitchell Marsh and Marcus Stoinis, and the New Zealander Corey Anderson.

Gough will be monitoring events with interest, as will the English game in general, and the former fast bowler is not surprised that America has come to the T20 party.

“It’s the way the current climate is now,” said Gough.

“There’s tournaments all around the world, and every country wants to be part of it.

“The US has got a huge cricket following, a huge Asian community, and obviously they love their cricket; they want to play cricket.

“It’s a big market for everyone, so they’re all keen to do it and it’s not a surprise.”