Chief Executive Jamie Clifford believes the changes to the cricketing schedule in 2014 will be good for clubs like Kent Cricket.

The ECB announced earlier this week that from 2014, there will be fourteen Twenty 20 matches, increasing Kent’s home fixtures from five to seven with the majority of them to be played on Friday nights.

With One Day cricket to see games increased from 40 to 50 overs, it will also see County Championship games starting on a Sunday for the majority of the four day fixtures and it is a move that Clifford welcomes:

“I’m glad that the Championship has remained intact as was originally structured with two Divisions and sixteen games each. I think that is really important for our die hard cricket fans and our members desperately wanted to see the continuation of that structure.”

“I think for cricket followers it was important the County Championship maintained its’ integrity, so I’m pleased with the decision. I think it’s nice that Championship cricket will start on a Sunday for the bulk of the season as I think people can get into that habit.”

“I’m delighted that they have seen sense to spread Twenty 20 through the season and there’s an understanding that there’s an appetite for Twenty 20, but it can be exhausted if you keep going back day after day after day.”

“The best bit if it is that it has come off the back of some proper research and the ECB have listened to what people are telling them.”

“Over 25,000 people were surveyed and they genuinely listened to the recommendations of people who follow the game day in, day out. That was much needed and I’m pleased with the outcome.”

The changes in the Twenty 20 structure could well prove to be the most vital to Kent who have been pushing for more games and with seven to play in 2014 on Friday nights, fans can expect to see the side playing under the floodlights at the St Lawrence Ground a little more:

“We put the floodlights up for a reason to have floodlit cricket, so to have Friday nights with floodlit cricket should be good and when we’ve done that in the past we’ve had decent crowds.” said Clifford.

“I think three games in six days and four games in eight days were just not sustainable and in one year it lead us to take one game to The Oval because we were so concerned about the likely impact it would have keep going back to the same market.”

“Getting a rhythm in the season where people can understand what games are on when becomes habitual. I think the reason the old Sunday league was so successful was because everyone knew it was on a Sunday and probably no more complicated than that.”

With Championship games set to start on a Sunday, Clifford is hoping it will see a whole new generation of families coming to watch cricket in Kent:

“That’s the way we will market it and we are keen to have a family atmosphere here and Championship cricket works just as well and we always stress it’s a great way to spend a summer’s afternoon.”

“It’s important this happens for the long term future of County Championship cricket.”

Meanwhile, Commercial Director Pat Mellsop is hoping the club can build on recent successes that saw Kent come away with three Business of Cricket awards, but is keen to see the club securing their financial future:

“It’s very nice to receive these awards and it solidifies what we have been going through these past few years and gives us a tick for going in the right direction.”

“The biggest frustration we had this year was the big reduction in the T20 programme, the weather and then short periods of play, so it felt as though you had your hands tied.”

“If you have seven Twenty 20 games and they are nicely spread, we will be able to take full advantage of the lights and hopefully some nice weather.”

“We were a little subdued after winning the awards as it has been a frustrating year. While it is great to get the accolade and hopefully the club had changed a lot in the past few years, we have still got quite a way to go.”

“It’s always nice to get recognition from your peers, but I’d rather take a nice healthy profit ahead of it.”

With fans always sensitive to pricing policies, Mellsop was keen to reiterate that Kent are keen to make coming to the cricket as affordable as possible for their fans:

“We are just finalising our pricing now, because we are concious that membership hasn’t moved for three years. We are observing all the surveys that came back.”

“Cricket is a great product and we’ve got to make sure we’re not too shy to charge a fair price.”

Finally, Clifford confirmed to KSN that Kent are still in ongoing negotiations will potential developers over the proposed hotal development at Canterbury, but admitted it would be unlikely that the bulldozers would be at the ground this winter:

“We’re chatting with a number of developers and some of those discussions are quite positive, but nothing in terms of a signed contract.”