Grow and nurture the core: partnership and collaboration

The county network is the bedrock of cricket in England and Wales. It provides the foundations for progressing the game at every level, from children picking up and ball for the first time at their local club, to future England heroes developing their skills in elite domestic competitions.

To ensure there is a thriving county network at the heart of the domestic game we will invest in protecting and enhancing the strengths of the county system for generations of players, staff, members and fans, now and in the future.

As part of the renewed County Partnership Agreement (CPA) between ECB and the cricket network, there will be at least £450m of direct funding to the network guaranteed for the full five-year period.

The CPA has already encouraged even greater collaboration between First Class Counties (FCCs) and County Cricket Boards, the recreational arm of county clubs, and many have brought both bodies under one umbrella for greater efficiency.

There is also increased collaboration between FCCs and the National Counties (formerly Minor Counties) with the aim of creating more effective partnerships  within the game.

Governance reform at the FCCs will make those organisations more representative of the communities they serve.

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