The Schofield Report

Insistent, weighty music. We see ex-cricketers dashing into a building bearing briefcases. Cut to the interior of the building. The same ex-cricketers are talking around a large table. The camera circles rapidly. Cut to a burly middle-aged man, who points at camera and says:

"The Schofield Report"

Ken Schofield was instructed to draw up a blueprint for the future of English cricket. He got some cricketers in, they reviewed English cricket over the last few years and now they're saying stuff. The Schofield Report's out and we can pore over its findings, nitpicking, applauding or both.

Schofield recommendations we think they should already be doing
A Schofield recommendation that's probably more important than it seems
A Schofield recommendation that might be tricky to enforce
Some good solid recommendations
Restructure domestic cricket

Schofield recommendations - surely they should already be doing these

A lot of the stuff that the Schofield Report recommends you'd rather hope that England were doing already. Such as:

Individually tailored fitness and conditioning programmes
It might just be that they're broadening this. We're fairly certain that England players don't just go into the gym and do what they please. The thrust of this recommendation is probably that this should apply to all England programmes, ie, the 'Performance Squad' and the under-19s. Increased professionalism at lower levels seems to be a theme of the report.

Medical screening
Provide 'world-class' medical support for centrally contracted players, the report says. They really should be doing this, but too many players are spending too long injured, so maybe it isn't happening.

More Schofield Report recommendations

Schofield recommendation that's probably more important than it seems

Player personal development for the Performance Squad
The Performance Squad is a group of players who aren't centrally-contracted, but England clearly have in mind. It's what the Academy's been heading towards recently. Personal development means that Performance Squad alumni should be good, rounded human beings who can deal with the media, rather than the word-shy automatons who seem to have been created under the current programme.

This might also be interpreted as a need to foster a certain independence in tomorrow's international cricketers. While many production-line England players are borderline juvenile and need to be told what to do, great cricketers tend to go the extra mile off their own backs, be it seeking out knowledge or perfecting a technique or whatever.

They want to instil the philosophy of relentless self-improvement that powers the Australian cricketing juggernaut. Can it be done?

More Schofield Report recommendations

A Schofield recommendation that might be tricky to enforce

Captaincy and leadership development
Basically, mentor future captains. It's a good idea, but you can never predict your future sides with any degree of certainty. What if your future captain isn't good enough to get in the starting XI.

They'll have to identify several players who might become captain and guide them all. We supppose there's nothing wrong with this. We've just got a nagging feeling that this recommendation's a bit empty.

More Schofield Report recommendations

Some good solid recommendations

England Performance Squad
Players who aren't centrally contracted, but aren't far off get personal training programmes and stuff. They're monitored.

International Exchanges
No cricketer ever got worse by experiencing a wider range of conditions (and cultures).

A fielding coach
We think this is permanent, rather than temporary, as in the past.

Provide more rest in the international programme
If the report hadn't said this, it wouldn't have been fulfilling its remit. There's going to be a managing director of English cricket who'll be responsible for fixture lists. No excuses.

Selector on tour
Now there'll be consistency. Previously the selectors had one team in mind, but the coach and captain selected a different one.

More Schofield Report recommendations

Restructure domestic cricket

That's the recommendation in the Schofield Report.

They say that the Pro40 League should be done away with. It's not the same format as any international cricket and is therefore virtually worthless. Domestic one-day cricket should be played to the exact same rules as international one-day cricket. At present that's 50 overs a side with ten overs of fielding restrictions and then two powerplays to be taken whenever.

The Schofield Report also recommends less domestic cricket, with more time for preparation, practice and recuperation.

Our method would be to have three leagues of six for the four-day competition. Each side would play home and away, meaning just ten first-class matches a year, rather than 16 at present.

There would be a one-up, one-down promotion/relegation system, so the best teams would stay in the top league. If there were any more movement than that there would be no guarantee that the six top flight counties were the best six. The best should play the best.

That's our idea, not the Schofield Report's and it's never going to happen.

More Schofield Report recommendations