There will be no meaningful reduction in the volume of men’s county cricket played in 2025, despite more than 80 percent of players reporting fears for their physical health due to the busy schedule.
The PCA are still pushing for incremental changes which would see T20 fixtures more spread out across a week to reduce the number of tight turnarounds, and for uniform three-day gaps between Championship matches. “There’s definitely room for improvement in 2025 compared to 2024,” Daryl Mitchell, the PCA’s interim chief executive, told ESPNcricinfo.
“The schedule can definitely be managed better,” Mitchell said. “Certainly the Blast was very much looked at through a commercial lens, trying to squeeze as many games as possible into Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Utilising the majority of the week is probably the way forward, trying to spread them out to give that time for recovery, travel and preparation.”
The main point of discussion for the 2025 schedule has been around the T20 Blast, and when the knockout stages should be held. In 2023, they took place straight after the group stages in July, allowing counties to keep hold of their overseas player; this year, they will take place in September, giving clubs six weeks to sell tickets for home quarter-finals.
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“Everyone’s in agreement that the schedule isn’t perfect, is it?” Mitchell said. “The ECB and the counties – particularly the directors of cricket that I’ve spoken to – are on board with what we’ve said. I don’t think players in general would actually want a significant reduction in cricket, maybe just a few days here and there… we’re looking for small, incremental change.”
Matt Roller is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. @mroller98
Source: ESPN Crickinfo