Want T20 Blast to compete with IPL and Big Bash: Colin Graves

With the 2016 Natwest Twenty20 Blast set to commence on Friday (May 20), the England and Wales Cricket Board chairman Colin Graves has admitted that its standards are below par compared to the Indian Premier League and Big Bash League.

Graves is currently working with Tom Harrison, the ECB chief executive, on proposing a new T20 competition in the country from 2020, when the broadcasting rights for English cricket are negotiated again. The new plan will be proposed to the 18 counties in September but Graves isn't in favour of having privately-owned franchise teams.

"We want to look at all the options and we are talking to broadcasters to see what values there are for different T20 competitions," Graves told Sky Sports.

"Once we get that we can put it on the table to the counties and decide which is the best way forward.

"There are no agendas or recommendations of what we want, we just want the best T20 competition in England to compete with the IPL and the Big Bash. Without speaking out of turn, I think most would agree that our tournament is mediocre when compared. We want to have something that will stand out in our summer."

Earlier in March, the counties rejected the idea of having two divisions with promotion and relegation for the domestic T20 competition. It was also decided that from next year, the Blast won't be running throughout the summer and instead take place in two blocks focussing more on the school holidays.