“The franchise system does work, everybody has made it work, the whole world has gone that way”

Image courtesy of: Zimbio

Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen believes that the country’s domestic Twenty20 competition will become even more popular if they implement city-based franchises.

Pietersen’s comments come after he has been representing the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League (BBL).

“What’s frustrating is they say they want to help home-grown players,” Pietersen said. “But the best way to make them become better is to play against better players. Find a way to franchise county cricket. You would have 10 counties or franchises who play each other in Twenty20 or one-day cricket.

“All the muppets who are on 18 grand (£18,000), 15 grand (£15,000), either you become better or you go and do something else.

“The best players would play against each other week in week out. That’s how you become better. You don’t do that by reducing salary caps.

“The franchise system does work, everybody has made it work, the whole world has gone that way. Why can’t they do it in England? It’s strange.

“The last couple of months have been the first time I’ve started to worry about Test cricket. Kids have got no interest in Test cricket. Look at how they are filling these stadiums for Big Bash cricket. They are all kids and you speak to them at the end of a game and you say ‘Would you come to a Test match?’. And they say ‘No’.”