Well thank God that didn't go to extra time or United would have been thrashed out of site (bless 'em eh)!
Watching one overhit pass after another, it got me thinking about something I have had in my mind for a while regarding where club cricket in the south east could be improved. Yes you guessed it....a Champions League!!!
Take the nine champions from Essex, Kent, Surrey, Hampshire (Southern Electric League), Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Middlesex, Hertfordshire, Oxfordshire and the Club Cricket Conference Cup winners from 2009 to go forward to the new champions league in 2010 to play each other home and away in the South East of England Champions League. (There could be other regionalised versions as well of course.
Those that compete in 2009 revert back to their ECB premier leagues in 2010 and the winners from 2010 move into the Champions League so as to spread the opportunities around.
This would give top clubs new opposition and, although this would add to the travelling, I think many players would like to go to new venues and test themselves against other county champions. Obviously, the various club's facilities would need to be up to a good standard.
There is little or no money in the respective ECB premier divisions to be had so a major sponsor would be needed to add to the incentive. Maybe, if there were national regional divisions, Sky Sports or Setanta could do a little weekly show during the summer, not dissimilar to Sky's current three clubs of the year feature that they are running during test matches?
Attendances at Surrey Championship matches are sparse to say the least but this might add to the interest, especially amongst those ground hopping anorak types who rock up from time to time.
Oh well, just a thought but club cricket needs some rejuvenation (and not just via 20/20 cricket).
I have flagged this (and other ideas) with the ECB but I haven't had a reply yet.......!!! (Wish I'd copyrighted the idea now!!!).
More blog "nonsense" next Wednesday.
