Leicestershire CEO Sean Jarvis questions need to make county game smaller

Making the county game smaller in an effort to improve the fortunes of the England men's Test team is a "ridiculous" idea, says Leicestershire chief executive Sean Jarvis.

The 18-team structure which is currently in place is under scrutiny following England's 4-0 Ashes defeat.

"It's crystal clear the supporters of cricket want county cricket to continue," said Jarvis.

"And the idea of reducing counties is obviously quite ridiculous."

Jarvis, who was speaking on The Sports Desk podcast, added: "There's not a silver bullet here, this is a slow process of building, and building the quality.

"I think the kneejerk reaction is 'we lost the Ashes, what a load of rubbish we are'."

Earlier this week, England's head coach Chris Silverwood told BBC Sport the English game "has to change"., with one of his concerns the scheduling of County Championship matches which have in recent years been on the margins of the summer.

BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew also supported the idea of change - suggesting a 10-team first-class competition that replaces the County Championship.; the idea being fewer teams would ensure "the best are playing against the best".

Earlier this week the ECB confirmed more first-class games will played in June and July in 2022.

ECB managing director of county cricket Neil Snowball also said more changes were on the way.

"It needs a comprehensive review. Hopefully we can start making some changes from 2023," he said.

"Fewer matches might help. One of the things we see every year is we're playing an awful lot of domestic cricket, and some feel people would feel we're playing too much."

Leicestershire are seen as one of the teams that would that be affected if the existing 18-team structure is streamlined.

"Personally I'd like to see an increase of teams," said Jarvis.

"I'd like to see 20 teams. I'd like to see Shropshire or Devon or Lincolnshire come into the equation, maybe have two divisions of 10 and grow it that way.

"I think by introducing more teams then we can have an increased participation and increase the quality.

"We're here to try and expand the game, create bigger interest in the game and that's what we're starting to see here."

All-rounder Darren Stevens, 45, was Kent's leading wicket-taker last season. Some have used him as an example of a county archetype - demonstrating the difference in standard between first-class and Test cricket.

"I suppose it just grates on you a little bit, but it's interesting because I'll get mentioned about these pitches early season, yeah fine," said Stevens on The Sports Desk.

"I'm going to lick my lips at a greentop and I'm bowling 20 overs, but that's my job."

Stevens also questioned the priorities of English cricket.

"If it's pride and wanting the Ashes back then they've got to start moving some four-day cricket into the middle of the summer," Stevens added.

"There's a lot of flawed techniques out there but why is that? It's white-ball cricket.

"They want to be going at five, six an over in 50-stuff, they want to be going at 10, 12 an over in Twenty20 and 100-ball stuff.

"So going from that and jumping back into four-day cricket, it ain't gonna work."