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Cricket: Glamorgan boss Wallace eyes short-format focus if season starts


Mark Wallace played for Glamorgan for 18 seasons before retiring in 2017 and became director of cricket there in December, 2018

Glamorgan director of cricket Mark Wallace says the focus must be on shorter televised formats of the game if the county season starts.

There will be no professional games until at least May 28 because of the coronavirus outbreak.

“I would suggest the focus would be on international cricket, then T20, then the Hundred with Championship cricket down the list,” said Wallace.

Glamorgan are among the teams to have their first six matches called off.

“It’s just so important we try to get some cricket on, if and when the health of the nation allows,” said Wallace.

The England and Wales Cricket Board is considering a series of possible start dates if public health regulations allow and potentially playing behind closed doors.

The launch of the new Hundred tournament, scheduled to start in mid-July with eight franchise teams including the Cardiff-based Welsh Fire, also complicates matters.

Wallace admits a shortened season may disappoint county supporters and players who prefer the four-day format.

“The T20 Blast is massively important from an audience point of view, from a financial point of view it’s the format which is played on television and if the Hundred gets missed, that’s the opportunity to drive the game,” he told BBC Radio Wales Sport.

“But we understand there’s a huge amount of people who enjoy the Championship, there are also a lot of professional cricketers who concentrate on the Championship who could go through the season without playing a game.

“There’s also the effect on the recreational game. Cricket is fighting for people’s interest and there’s concern over the junior game.”

Glamorgan’s Sophia Gardens headquarters is being run by a skeleton staff with players given individual fitness training programmes to do on their own, in line with public health guidelines.



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