ECB’s ambitious proposal of organising an Indian Premier League-style T20 tourney has been shot down by apprehensive counties.

Counties feared such a tournament would restrict the spectator interest to bigger counties, which would be a huge blow to the structure of English domestic cricket.

According to reports in the local media, the ECB is instead focusing on a Twenty20 event comprising 18 counties and two foreign teams after their plan of having a nine team tourney was rejected by smaller counties.

The ECB's executive board met on Tuesday night in which the counties made it clear that the proposed franchise-based English Premier League would put the interest of smaller domestic sides in threat.

"An executive board meeting of the England and Wales Cricket Board is believed to have decided to back an EPL based on the 18 counties and two overseas teams, with one likely to be provided by Allen Stanford," the reports said.