Does county cricket still matter for England selection?

We discuss whether England now pick on talent over performance, the role of county cricket in developing players, and who is under pressure ahead of the summer.

In this episode of Close of Play, Sanjay Murthy and Ashes winner Geraint Jones debate whether county cricket still produces England players, or whether selectors are now prioritising raw talent over performance.

From Ben Stokes and Division 2 to the ECB’s financial support of counties, we ask the big question: is the system still fit for purpose?

We also build a potential England XI ahead of the summer and look at which players are under the most pressure to perform.

🎯 Topics:
– Does county cricket still matter for England selection?
– Should England only pick from Division 1?
– Are counties financially sustainable?
– Who is under pressure ahead of the summer?

👇 Let us know in the comments:
Should England pick on performance — or potential?

CHAPTERS

00:00 Does county cricket still matter?

02:30 Should England captain play in Division 2?

06:30 Is county cricket fit for purpose?

12:00 Do England selectors ignore performances?

18:30 Are counties financially broken?

25:00 Silly Point – Who Am I?

32:00 County title race & teams to watch

40:00 Who is playing for their England place?

46:00 England XI debate

52:00 Who is under pressure this summer?