Neil Snowball reflects on the success of this season following a Covid-disrupted 2020:

"This time last year when we were planning the 2021 season with so many unknowns, the fact we've completed all the competitions with such success, we're absolutely relieved and delighted.

"It's been a terrific effort from all involved and we're looking forward now to planning for next year.

"We'll take away all the discussions we've had this week with the counties, boil that down and put the ideas towards them to vote on.

"We're committed to returning to two divisions in the County Championship from 2023, it's just a case of how we get there."

Neil Snowball on what the Bob Willis Trophy might look like from next season:

"We brought in this trophy for a very good reason last season.

"It's been great for Warwickshire and Lancashire this year even though it's very late in the season.

"We will have to take a look at it for next season onwards for sure, but I would like to see it retained in some form."

There is also reference to potentially improving the quality of live video streams in county cricket to include provision for DRS in some games.

Neil Snowball says that looking into ways of continually enhancing those live streams is ongoing and DRS provision may well be an option depending on what is available.

Gwen Arthur: Championship decided by Division 1 winner, but expanded Bob Willis Trophy with a play in for the counties not at the pointy end in the second half of the season?

Neil Snowball concludes his chat with Kevin Howells by briefly touching on the Azeem Rafiq racism allegations involving his time with Yorkshire and the publication of Yorkshire's findings from their own internal investigations.

Neil confirms the ECB are still to receive a copy of that report.

Alex Hartley
England spinner on BBC 5 Live Sports Extra

In the women's game, the eight regional teams we now have domestically is working well.

There are five professional contracts for each team and there's talk of expanding that.

It's been a big year of change with those sides coming in and The Hundred, so we just need to build on it next season.

More from Neil Snowball on the schedule for women's domestic cricket in 2022:

"The way the players developed and came on was fantastic and we saw that in the women's Hundred.

"There were some concerns at the outset about a possible difference in quality between the regional and international players, but the quality of the two competitions shone through in the end.

"For next year, we'll see a similar Charlotte Edwards Cup and Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, but the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and The Hundred, will also provide for an exceptional schedule."

More from Neil Snowball on next season's T20 Blast:

"We've got some exciting things planned for the 20th edition of T20 next season.

"It was great to see Edgbaston full again earlier this month for finals day and Kent's win provided a perfect conclusion for how well supported the knockout stages of the competition were."

Neil Snowball goes on to confirm that the 50-over One-Day Cup will continue to be played at the same time as The Hundred next summer.

The final is scheduled for a Saturday in September at Trent Bridge rather than on a Thursday like it was this season.

The T20 Blast will run from the end of May with a conclusion in mid-July with finals day at Edgbaston.

Neil Snowball continues:

"The recommendation is to return to two divisions in 2023.

"There was a review in 2018 that covered a lot of factors, changing to a 10-8 structure between divisions one and two, rather than two divisions of nine and whether or not play each side home and away.

"We'll confirm with them later today if we're going to vote on a return to that in 2022. We'll need a two-thirds majority in terms of the constitution.

"It's the right way to do it. We're trying to be pragmatic and logical in terms of the uncertainty that's ahead of us."

More from Neil Snowball on when a return to two divisions might happen:

"There's 18 fantastic counties with rich histories.

Whoever ends up in Division One will be delighted and whoever ends up in Division Two will be disappointed.

"We've learnt a lot from this season. The challenge with this structure is what are those sides in Divisions Two and Three playing for?

"If we repeat this for 2022, there will be seedings to play for for the following season."

Neil Snowball on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra:

"We've always said the direction of travel is to go back to two divisions, but it's a question of whether we continue with another year of conferences before we step back into that.

"There's differences of opinion over how we might be impacted next season by Covid-19 and other factors."

Neil Snowball begins by making reference to a meeting held yesterday with chairman and chief executives of the 18 counties to consider what the future format of the County Championship might be from next season.

He can tell us though that the fixtures are expected to be released in early November.

Image source, BBC Sport

During the lunch interval right now on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra, managing director of county cricket Neil Snowball is in conversation with Kevin Howells.

Plenty being discussed including when next season's fixtures will be out and what the format might look like for the County Championship in 2022.

Tap or click the play icon at the top of the page to hear more.

George Balderson and Luke Wells see off the last over from Tim Bresnan and that is lunch on day three.

Alex Davies' self-inflicted run-out is the only blemish on the card as Lancashire trail by 400.

Clive Eakin
BBC CWR Sport on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

I'd have to say looking out there on a day like today, that those in the crowd will most definitely be dedicated cricket-watchers.

The TV cameras cut to a man in a woolly hat and gloves with what looks like a scoring book. That is keen!

With October hours away, kudos to anyone who still wants to watch cricket in the flesh.

Nisteljani: Surely the umpire couldn't have been in any doubt, Alex Davies was run out by Miles....

Spin accounted for six of the ten wickets in the Warwickshire innings, so it's no surprise to see left-armer Danny Briggs get his first bowl of the match.

I suspect he will get a long spell this afternoon.

Alex Hartley
England spinner on BBC 5 Live Sports Extra

Image source, Getty Images

Some good shots so far by George Balderson.

He looks comfortable at the crease and looks like he wants to stay.