Cook: Don't play condensed County Championship

Former England captain Alastair Cook says he would rather the County Championship was not played at all this season rather than attempting to hold a dramatically condensed campaign.

The England and Wales Cricket Board have made the decision that no professional cricket will be played before May 28 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

That means that the County Championship season, which was due to begin on April 12, faces a lengthy delay and raises questions over how the schedule will look should the season begin later in the year.

"In this year, over the next six months, the bigger picture is the most important," the 35-year-old told BBC.

"Whatever happens, if we do play any sort of cricket – which hopefully we will – what I hope is that they don't try and have a six-game County Championship or something like that.

"I would rather have one or two full tournaments, because if you do then play that tournament or two tournaments it is so much more rewarding to win it.

"If there is not time for a meaningful County Championship, say (you can only play) three or four games, there is probably not much sense us having it."

Cook added: "I would rather concentrate on two full tournaments (one-day and T20) rather than saying 'we have four tournaments that we need to play, let's get them all in even if we have to shorten them'.

"I think you would rather have two tournaments played full length so that there is meaningful cricket at the end of it."