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Warwickshire legend Dennis Amiss says he would love to see more ‘Bazball’ played in the County Championship.
The former Bears and England Test opener enjoyed a prolific 27-year career before going on to become Warwickshire chief executive.
Amiss was a stylish batter when he played but is fan of England’s positive brand of cricket under Test captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum.
“The ‘Bazball’ is terrific to watch,” Amiss told BBC Radio WM.
“I saw it all during the winter and absolutely loved it. The game is in great shape – and I really like the way England are playing at the moment.”
England host Australia in the Ashes this summer, with the first Test at Edgbaston starting on 16 June.
Amiss added: “If we’re going to carry on playing like that this summer, then the Test matches might not go five days.
“If I was a punter, I’d be booking tickets just for the first four days,” he joked. “They’re playing at such a pace – and it’s brilliant to see.”
Amiss, now Warwickshire’s club president, will celebrate his 80th birthday on the second day of the new County Championship season, which starts on Thursday (6 April).
The Bears avoided relegation from Division One on the final day of last season at Edgbaston in dramatic fashion when fast bowler Liam Norwell took a stunning 9-62 to beat Hampshire and condemn Yorkshire to the drop instead.
Although that was as exciting a two sessions of cricket as any fan could witness in any form of the game, it was played out in front of a small crowd in Birmingham.
The England and Wales Cricket Board have spent a lot of time debating with the 18 first-class counties the best long-term strategy for the game – and brought in their brand new Hundred as a further short-form cricket competition, on top of the already successful T20 Blast.
But Amiss, who made a century in England’s first one-day international in this country against Dennis Lillee and Australia at Old Trafford in 1972 and also hit a ton in England’s first World Cup match against India in 1975, now recognises the need for Championship cricket to try to become more exciting.
It was after all in county cricket, and also in the Midlands, where ‘Bazball’ got off the launchpad, led by England skipper Stokes who smashed 161 off 88 balls for Durham against Worcestershire at New Road last May.
It featured a Championship record 17 sixes – and that sensational innings served as the prototype for the way England have played their Test cricket since under Stokes and McCullum.
In the seven home Tests that followed in 2022, followed by the winter series with Pakistan and New Zealand, England have won 10 out of 12 matches – and Amiss would love to see some of that magic rub off on the county game.
“We’ve got to do something about county cricket,” he said. “After what England have done this winter, maybe it might now follow on naturally.
“The game has changed dramatically for cricket lovers all over the country.
“Maybe we should also have just 100 overs per innings to help it bounce along and make it even more attractive.”
Dennis Amiss was talking to BBC Radio WM’s Kath Stanczyszyn.
By Ged Scott
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