Doubts grow over viability of county competitions as clubs face difficulty putting out sides

Covid-related withdrawals and Hundred call-ups have decimated county squads

Doubts are growing over the viability of this season’s county competitions as clubs face increasing difficulty putting out sides.

ESPNcricinfo understands that the combination of Covid-related withdrawals and Hundred call-ups has decimated county squads with Kent, for example, now without their first-choice 17 players.

Derbyshire have already announced that they have withdrawn from the Blast with several other first-class counties cancelling their List A matches against the National County sides which were scheduled for next week.

As a result, there is increasing doubt over whether the Royal London One-Day Cup will go ahead.

Even before Covid hit, several county squads had been hit hard by Hundred call-ups, with Surrey losing a dozen players. With the ECB desperate to ensure their new competition goes ahead, their are concerns that any further calls upon county squads will undermine the credibility of the 50-over domestic competition.

The ECB on Wednesday confirmed that Derbyshire Falcons’ final two Vitality Blast group-stage matches have been cancelled.

“ECB has determined that Derbyshire CCC is unable to field a team of a strength appropriate to maintain the integrity of the two matches and of the competition as a whole,” it said in a statement.

“Derbyshire are adhering to Covid-19 protocols and managing a number of injuries. In addition to six injured players, 14 members of Derbyshire’s squad are self-isolating after they were deemed as close contacts of an unnamed team-mate, who tested positive for Covid-19 earlier this week.”

Derbyshire were due to play Northamptonshire Steelbacks on Friday and Yorkshire Vikings on Sunday.

“Those matches will be deemed as having been cancelled,” the ECB statement continued. “Under Playing Condition 16.11.4.5 the North Group will, therefore, be decided on an ‘average points per completed match’ basis.”