<p class="bodytext">England's first-class county teams will be allowed to field two, rather than one, overseas-registered player in next season's domestic championship and Royal London Cup, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Friday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The decision was made by the ECB's Board after a recommendation by the Performance Cricket Committee.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"There is an important balance to be struck to ensure the need for good foreign players in county cricket and providing opportunity for nine England-qualified players in each county team," the ECB's Performance Cricket Committee (PCC) chair Andrew Strauss said in a statement.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"There are clearly long-established benefits for our domestic players to compete against and learn from the best players from across the world in addition to providing high-quality domestic cricket for county members and fans to enjoy."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Counties have been allowed only one 'unqualified' player on the pitch since the rule was changed for the 2008 season, partly to offer more first-team opportunities for young players eligible to play for England.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The change will not affect the Vitality Blast T20 competition which already allows teams to field two foreign players.</p>
<p class="bodytext">England's first-class county teams will be allowed to field two, rather than one, overseas-registered player in next season's domestic championship and Royal London Cup, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Friday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The decision was made by the ECB's Board after a recommendation by the Performance Cricket Committee.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"There is an important balance to be struck to ensure the need for good foreign players in county cricket and providing opportunity for nine England-qualified players in each county team," the ECB's Performance Cricket Committee (PCC) chair Andrew Strauss said in a statement.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"There are clearly long-established benefits for our domestic players to compete against and learn from the best players from across the world in addition to providing high-quality domestic cricket for county members and fans to enjoy."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Counties have been allowed only one 'unqualified' player on the pitch since the rule was changed for the 2008 season, partly to offer more first-team opportunities for young players eligible to play for England.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The change will not affect the Vitality Blast T20 competition which already allows teams to field two foreign players.</p>