CRICKET: ONE of the leading players in the Hargreaves Two Counties Championship is calling for changes to make it a 'proper' one-day competition."It is like playing a five-day Test match in one day," said Ipswich and East Suffolk allrounder Mike Edmond.

ONE of the leading players in the Hargreaves Two Counties Championship is

calling for changes to make it a 'proper' one-day competition.

"It is like playing a

five-day Test match in one day," said Ipswich and East Suffolk allrounder Mike Edmond.

The former Warwickshire second XI captain and England indoor skipper wants to see the rules changed before next season.

"I feel personally affected as I have fell victim of the lack of rules on a number of occasions," said Edmond. "But I also know it has happened to other players."

What concerns Edmond is the lack of fielding restrictions. He has been batting while IES have been chasing on several occasions and found up to nine fielders around the boundary.

"It is ridiculous," he said. "They are looking for me to run a single so that they can bowl at a lessor player.

"I don't wish to be disrespectful to anybody and if the rules allow sides to defend in depth I certainly don't blame them. But it can be so unfair on the chasing side.

"We are currently playing under rules that are more applicable to a three or five day game than a one-day match.

"The answer seem quite simple. Introduce a circle with a restriction on the number of players who can field outside it. I would like to see the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy rules adopted in the Two Counties, with at least four fielders inside the circle.

"There have been times when I have felt I did not want to play anymore. If you are chasing big scores it is virtually impossible to hit boundaries with the outfield so well manned.

"And when the tail arrives at the crease the task is made harder as the field closes in to prevent a single when the late order batsman is facing.

"We played Felixstowe this month and their talented South African player Jaque Oberholzer scored 85 of their 150 runs. They were chasing 222 to win and we knew if we could restrict his scoring we would most probably win the match – which we did.

"When you are five or six wickets down and need six an over plus to win you should still be given a chance to do so. At the moment it is impossible."

n One of Edmond's IES team mates Robert Glassford misses tomorrow's game at Braintree, and the following couple of weeks, after breaking a small bone when he thumped his hand against the dressing room door in disgust as being out in last Saturday's match against Copdock and Old Ipswichians at Chantry Park