Exclusive: Yorkshire would weaken county line-up for chance of $2.5m

Chief executive Stewart Regan has admitted Yorkshire would consider prioritising the global tournament if they had nothing at stake in the four-day competition.

Counties are set for a major dilemma after Champions League organisers brought forward the dates of this year's event to September 10-26, clashing with the end of the English season and a one-day series between England and Pakistan.

Yorkshire play two Championship games during that period – away to Nottinghamshire and at home to Kent – and could also be involved in the semi-finals and final of the ECB 40 League.

With talks between the England and Wales Cricket Board and Champions League having so far failed to produce a compromise, the ECB are on a potential collision course with the first-class counties.

The governing body are as hostile to the idea of counties fielding second-string teams in the Championship as counties are to missing out on a possible windfall.

For their part, Champions League organisers are anxious to avoid an overlap with a one-day series between India and Australia in early October, leaving the situation deadlocked.

The Champions League, which offers $2.5m to the winners, features the finalists from England's Twenty20 Cup plus the leading Twenty20 teams from India, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, the West Indies and Sri Lanka.

Regan told the Yorkshire Post: "We would consider the possibility of playing a weakened team in the Championship.

"Obviously, we would have to consider what is in the best interests of the club and make our decision accordingly.

"But if we were challenging for the Championship title come September, that would obviously take priority because it's more important to win the Championship than any other competition.

"On the other hand, if our final Championship game had no impact and we were in a position to take part in the Champions League, we'd consider fielding our strongest team in the Champions League."

The ECB are understood to have e-mailed the 18 counties saying they will not allow English players to take part in the tournament by refusing to give them No Objection Certificates.

But Angus Porter, chief executive of the Professional Cricketers' Association, is unconvinced the board could, in practice, prevent counties participating and picking what players they liked.

"It is critical to make a decision because attitudes of individual counties may change if they get a sniff of Finals Day," said Porter.

"From informal talks I have had the attitude is split, from one or two county chief executives saying they are going to the Champions League if they qualify no matter what, to others who say that would be appalling and that we must respect our domestic competitions."

Regan said counties routinely field weakened teams in any case due to the veritable glut of international fixtures.

"The ECB can select your players at the drop of a hat to play for England, so are we not fielding a weakened side at Yorkshire, for example, when the likes of Tim Bresnan and Ajmal Shahzad are away on England duty?" he said.

"Also, a number of clubs – including ourselves – used last year's Pro40 tournament to blood young players, so where do you draw the line?

"At the moment, there's not quite a standoff on the Champions League situation but there is a lack of certainty for the English clubs.

"Many clubs have signed players specifically to help their Twenty20 prospects – ourselves included by our recruitment of South African batsman Herschelle Gibbs – and everyone is concerned about the potential loss of revenue involved."

Regan said the best way to prevent this issue arising was to create a specific window for the Champions League.

"That's something that needs to be addressed at the very highest level of the game," he added.

"At the moment, certain international fixtures are being put in place with no consideration for the knock-on effect down the line, and the bottom line is there is far too much cricket played.

"Ideally, I'd like to see the Champions League played just after the English season has finished, which is what happened last year.

"You've got to be fair to everyone involved because the counties deserve the opportunity to play in the tournament."

Somerset and Sussex took part in the inaugural Champions League last year, which was held in India.

A venue has yet to be determined for this year's event.