HAMPSHIRE director of cricket Giles White believes the return of three-day cricket would be a backward step for the LV County Championship.

Reducing the length of Championship matches from four days is one of several radical proposals in an ECB document, which also includes plans for an English Premier League (a Big Bash-style Twenty20 competition) as well as a T20 FA Cup-style knockout.

Other proposals in the ECB’s ‘Strategy Conversation Summary’ – revealed by Cricinfo – include reducing the length of Test matches from five days to four and their number from seven to five in an English season, as well as reducing one-day internationals from 50-over to 40-over matches.

But it is the thought of a return to three-day Championship cricket for the first time since 1988 – with up to 110 overs bowled each day instead of 96 – that White, pictured right, is against.

He said: “For me, four-day Championship cricket needs to stay, but with less matches.

“It would devalue the competition to bring back three-day cricket, that would be a backward step.

“Four-day cricket is the best grounding for Test cricket. Three-day cricket is too contrived, it distorts what four-day and Test cricket is all about.

“But  40-over cricket would be an improvement as long as it's adopted at both county and international level– a 50-over game is a long day.”

White is also in favour of a new eight or ten-team T20 competition.

“A Big Bash–type tournament would enhance what we have at the moment but is difficult in a tight schedule,” he said.

“One way of doing it would be to have three divisions, with teams playing ten games instead of 16.

“That would free up a month of cricket for another T20 comp, but I would continue the Friday night T20 Blast.”

The proposals are believed to have been overseen by new ECB chief executive Tom Harrison and come within a few days of the start of Colin Graves’ chairmanship.

Former Hampshire player Kevin Pietersen was among many in favour.

He tweeted: “New @ECB_cricket chairman wants a T20 English franchise tournament! Absolutely brilliant! Forward thinking & brilliant for all players!”

Graves said: “When you look at cricket overall, I think it's got some challenges ahead.

“The attendances at Test matches are going down; Twenty20 hasn't been as successful as we thought it would have been; the 50-over competition is certainly not drawing in the crowds.

“I think we need to look at the way the County Championship is structured, and how much cricket we play. I think we need to decongest the whole season ... and I think we’ve got to look at an English Premier League somewhere – how we can fit that into the calendar.”

An ECB spokesman said: “We are currently in the early stages of formulating a long-term strategy for the game in England and Wales, which we anticipate will take a year to complete.

“This strategy will involve an extensive game-wide consultation and reflect the views of all our key stakeholders and major partners.”

The ECB will discuss the proposals with counties over the next few months.