da dobrowin： There is growing evidence of a performance gap between the two divisions inthe CricInfo Championship
da premier bet： George Dobell25-Jul-2001There is growing evidence of a performance gap between the two divisions inthe CricInfo Championship.In the first indication that a more concentrated pool of talent isdeveloping in the Division One, all the clubs that were promoted this yearare struggling to compete at the higher level.Glamorgan, Northants and Essex – the three promoted sides – occupy thebottom spots in the top division. Meanwhile Hampshire, who were relegatedlast year, occupy a promotion position in Division Two.These statistics appear to justify Mark Ramprakash’s reasoning in crossingthe Thames to play for a top division club. Heargued that he needed to play a higher standard of cricket in order toregain his Test place, and that his best chance of doing so would be throughplaying in the first division.There is no clear reason why this split should be developing. First Divisionclubs receive no more money from the ECB and it doesn’t, as yet, appear tomake much difference to sponsors which division the team is in.Teams with their headquarters at Test grounds may benefit from theirincreased marketing capability (although they would point to their increasedcosts) but financial strength does not necessarily equate to success on thepitch. Warwickshire, Nottinghamshire and though they are a special case,Middlesex, are all in the lower division.Could the explanation be that those clubs in the top division are the oneswith the best infrastructure? Yorkshire’s academy is renowned, whileSomerset, the surprise package of the season (sitting second in Division Onedespite losing Trescothick and Caddick to England), also boast an academy.The next round of CricInfo Championship games, beginning on Friday, promisesto be particularly interesting. Many members of England’s Test team areexpected to play and top of the table Yorkshire meet Lancashire in a Rosesclash at Headingley.Yorkshire are the runaway leaders of the first division, and such is theirbowling talent that even Darren Gough is not assured of a place in theirline-up.
