After attending the First Class Forum meeting at Lord's, Chief Executive Peter Anderson told me, "The English Cricket Board made it quite clear that it wishes to ensure that eighteen first class counties continue to exist-which pleases Somerset."

The meeting that was attended by representatives of all of the first class county teams and the M.C.C., was a briefing to discuss the cricket programme for the 2003 season, and will inform a decision making meting that will take place in December.

Mr Anderson continued, "The consensus of opinion from the players involved in the game is that 4 day cricket with two divisions and three up and three down is a success."

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