Essex County Cricket Club have voted against the proposed new T20 competition.

Chairman John Faragher believes the competition in England will make Essex a minor county and that some clubs are simply voting for the measure in the face of promised cash from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

Essex attracts supporters from a large catchment area including East London and East Anglia - and Chelmsford is known as one of the best atmospheres on the circuit for Natwest T20 Blast matches.

Last season, they sold 91 per cent of all tickets and Faragher thinks it is unlikely that many of those supporters would want to trek to London to watch a city team play.

Now after an extensive consultation with the Committee, the Members and ECB representatives, Essex County Cricket Club’s Executive Board has decided it is unable to support the proposed changes to the articles of Association of the ECB.

The proposed changes require the stakeholders to approve the removal of the clause which allows all 18 First Class counties to participate in all ECB competitions, including the new T20.

Faragher said: “We do not support the changes to the Articles of Association and consequently the proposed new T20 competition.

“It is essential that the County Championship, domestic 50-over and T20 competitions are encouraged to grow, and they must be protected.

“We recognise and support the Cricket Unleashed Strategy and indeed Essex County Cricket Club has an enviable record in producing England players and Captains.

“We are focused on expanding cricket in Essex, East Anglia and Metropolitan London, ensuring there are opportunities for all age and ability groups, male and female to be actively involved in the game.

“We believe that as a result of the proposed changes, these opportunities will be reduced, that our income overall will suffer and the First Class game will be diminished, in contradiction to the ECB’s objective which is to grow the game in this country - an objective that is unlikely to be advanced by a competition which would exclude large areas of the country from any involvement in it.”