Moxon is left cold by ECB schemes

The England and Wales Cricket Board have sent a consultation paper to the 18 first-class counties outlining options for change to the 120-year competition.

It would see the number of games reduced from 16 per county to 14 or 12 and is allegedly designed to ease fixture congestion.

The five ECB proposals are:

A Premier Division of eight counties playing each other home and away, with the other 10 counties forming a regionalised First Division.

Three conferences of six counties with play-offs.

Three divisions of six counties with games played over five days.

Two divisions of nine counties playing 12 or 14 games.

Three divisions of seven counties – including three minor counties.

But Moxon, Yorkshire's director of professional cricket who favours the current two-divisional system of 16 games per county, is unimpressed with the alternatives and has instead created one of his own. His suggestion is to split the 18 counties into three groups of six based on where they finish in the current two-divisional structure.

Under his proposal, teams finishing first to ninth in Division One would be ranked 1-9 and teams finishing first to ninth in Division Two ranked 10-18.

He would then divide the counties as follows:

Group A: 1, 4, 7, 12, 15 and 18.

Group B: 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17.

Group C: 3, 6, 9, 10, 13, 16.

Counties would play the teams in their group home and away, giving a total of 10 games.

Moxon would then make up the extra two-to-four matches by having the corresponding sides in each group play each other once – or home and away.

For example, if Yorkshire, Durham and Lancashire finished top of Groups A, B and C, Yorkshire would play Durham and Lancashire once – or home and away. The second-placed teams would also play each other – and so on.

Moxon would have prize money for each position, ensuring every game remains important, and counties' points would determine the following season's rankings.

Speaking exclusively to the Yorkshire Post, Moxon said: "My personal preference is to keep the current system of two divisions and 16 games per county.

"I think it works well and we've got a better chance of producing Test cricketers of the future by playing as much Championship cricket as possible.

"But if they're going to change it – and it looks as though it's heading that way – then I don't like any of the ideas being suggested.

"I can't put my name forward to those options so I've given my idea to Stewart Regan (Yorkshire's chief executive) as a possible alternative."

Moxon believes his idea has several benefits.

"It's a very simple format and ensures the groups have an even spread of standard," he added.

"If you just did it randomly, you could have a really tough division or a really weak division, and I certainly don't like the idea of a regionalised tournament.

"Some of our lads have never played at Lord's, for example, and you've got to keep things interesting. But some of the ideas are just too messy."

Counties have until June 4 to say which of the five ECB proposals they prefer.

The board are expected to make a final decision on July 6 and any changes would probably be implemented for 2012.

Although anxious to retain as much Championship cricket as possible, Moxon describes fixture scheduling in this country as "a nonsense".

He has long argued for more preparation and recovery time and believes the programme lacks balance.

"If England are going to be the No 1 team in the world, that isn't going to happen if we're flogging players to death," he added. "Fixtures need to be better spaced out and players should be developing because of the system – not in spite of it.

"I know administrators have to balance the cricket arguments with financial considerations, but people with cricket knowledge need a weightier say.

"This year we've lost a competition but are somehow playing more cricket, and although something's got to give, I think we could perhaps play less of the one-day stuff."

On the field, Moxon's men were frustrated as rain permitted only 45.1 overs on day three of the Championship match against Durham. The visitors lifted their first innings score from 54-3 to 215-4 in reply to Yorkshire's

610-6 declared.

Michael Di Venuto – 30 overnight – progressed to an unbeaten 108, Ian Blackwell finishing undefeated on 12. Dale Benkenstein (64) was the only wicket to fall.

DISPLAY OF THE DAY

Michael Di Venuto

The veteran Australian cracked a superb 108 from 179 balls with 14 fours - his 55th first-class century.