Date-stamped : 18 May96 - 02:21 16 May 1996 Minor Counties: MCCA focus on youth By Mike Berry THE fight for Minor Counties survival within the proposed struc- ture of the English Cricket Board has coincided with critical self-examination. Facing the prospect of a shotgun marriage with the 38-county NCA competition, the MCCA have battled to preserve 100 years of tradition. They are also ready to implement quality control into their two competitions. From next season they plan to introduce, on a two-year trial, an experiment in which three of the nine championship matches will have a first innings of 110 overs per side, allowing for both a first-innings victory and an outright win. In 1998, they also hope to play the early stages of the MCC Trophy under the Benson and Hedges group format, as put forward by Wiltshire`s Eric Burston. But their policy to promote more young players through the ranks will find most favour with cri- tics. Last season 88 cricketers held dual registrations with first- class counties and Minor Counties clubs, mostly young Minor Counties players who have graduated to the full-time game. The MCCA entered an under-25 team into the Bain Hogg Trophy for the first time in 1995 and they want to launch their own inter-zonal under-25 event by 1998. John Pickup, the new chairman of the MCCA, said: "Our cricket committee will always examine changes which might lead to better cricket, and it is important that the MCCA are seen to encourage younger players." The Minor Counties season starts on Sunday with the MCC Trophy preliminary round. Source :: Electronic Telegraph (http.//www.telegraph.co.uk) Contributed by Shash (shs2@*.cwru.edu)