ECB forms a new T-20 board for the proposed eight-team league

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have zeroed on to form a  T-20 board to look into the matters of the proposed eight-team T-20 league that is to stage in 2020. The league is first of this kind to be hosted by England on such a huge scale with a separate designated board to go about the business. The success of the T-20 leagues going around in the world must have been the prevailing reason that persuaded the English to host a league of such kind.

The T-20 board is an eleven member body that constitutes the members from the business and entertainment sectors alongside representatives from the First-Class county game and the ECB’s senior management team, as mentioned by ECB in a release. The role of the body is on the advisory part to the ECB’s main Board of Directors.

ECB chairman to head the body

While the current ECB chairman Colin Graves will chair the New T20 Board, Michael Lumb, a member of England World T20 winning team in 2010 with an ample experience of playing in the various T20 leagues staged around the world would also work on the advisory front. Including six independent appointees, the full list of members is:

– Sanjeev Gandhi Partner & Co-Founder, Mitchell Gandhi *

– Norman Gascoigne Chairman, Warwickshire County Cricket Club

– Sahar Hashemi Entrepreneur (co-founder of Coffee Republic & Skinny Candy)*

– Ron Kalifa Vice Chairman & former CEO of WorldPay*

– Mike McCormack MD, Universal Music Publishing Group*

– Sanjay Patel ECB Chief Commercial Officer & Managing Director, New T20

– Caroline Rowland Founder of New Moon and Senior Level Strategist*

– Scott Smith ECB Chief Financial Officer

– Gavin Warren Chairman, Northamptonshire County Cricket Club

– Suzi Williams Strategic & commercial leader in brand-led consumer & media *

(* Denotes independent member)

This diverse group includes a bunch of people who are successful in various walks of life with a proven track-record of successfully launching major products and consumer brands, and cater to the English board in guiding them in their thinking about the new venture.Sanjay Patel, ECB Chief Commercial Officer & Managing Director, said, “As we build a new competition for a new audience, it’s critical that we draw on best practice from within the wider business and entertainment industries as well as core cricket knowledge.”

He even highlighted the role of Michael Lumb in providing his inputs about the cricketing matters, “Players are the game’s most important asset and former and current players will have an important role to play in shaping our broader thinking. With a huge experience of both domestic and international T20 cricket worldwide, ” he added.