THE move for radical change to English cricket's domestic structure appears to have been successfully resisted.

Derbyshire were among the county clubs who were up in arms at suggestions last week that the new English Premier League Twenty20 competition should be contested by nine franchises based at the Test and one-day international venues.

The club were also opposed to the threat to cut the number of Championship fixtures but chief executive Tom Sears has welcomed the England and Wales Cricket Board's proposed changes, which will begin in the summer of 2010.

The EPL, a response to the success of the Indian Premier League, will involve all 18 counties and two overseas teams playing in two divisions in June.

The 50-over competition will be retained and there will still be 16 LV County Championship matches, to be played in a two division structure.

The Pro40 competition will end in 2009 and be replaced in 2010 by a Twenty20 League which will incorporate all 18 counties. This competition will be played primarily on Friday nights in July and August and will be the qualifying tournament for the Champions League.

“The prospect of the EPL is an exciting one and I'm glad it will involve all 18 counties,” said Sears.

“I'm also happy the Championship has been retained in its current format because it has a proven record of producing Test cricketers.

“The move to play the other Twenty20 competition later in the season has to be a good one because it will allow spectators the chance to enjoy this format of the game over a longer period and make it more affordable. We will have to vote at committee level before it is decided whether or not Derbyshire are behind these changes but my personal view is that the ECB has got it right.”

All 18 counties will have the chance to vote for or against the proposals before the changes are formally adopted.

The announcement follows two days of ECB meetings at Lord's and ECB chairman Giles Clarke said: “I am delighted that the board unanimously supported these creative proposals and I would like to congratulate everyone for their hard work and thank those who went to considerable time and trouble to produce documents for discussion.

“We have already received enormous broadcast and sponsor interest from around the world, which was reported to the board by the chief executive, David Collier.”

Surrey chairman David Stewart has also welcomed the new plans.

“These are extremely exciting and satisfying proposals for the future of domestic cricket in England and Wales,” he said.

“They incorporate some excellent ideas, and Keith Bradshaw (MCC secretary) and I were delighted to be able to submit our ideas as part of the process.”