THE England and Wales Cricket Board have approved a huge rise in prize money for LV County Championship, with the winners to receive £350,000 in 2009.

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The Durham team shared £100,000 for the title last summer, plus extra for each match won, so the new levels will be significant, especially as the successful county club will benefit in 2009 with an additional £150,000. The total prize money and reward payment for the Championship will rise to £1,060,000. The runners-up will receive  £175,000, with £50,000 to their county. In 2008 the runner-up players received a mere £40,000.

There are also significant rises in the prize money and reward payments for the winners of the final NatWest Pro40 competition and of the Friends Provident Trophy, which will have its final in late July.

David Collier, the ECB chief executive, said: "The ECB board strongly believe that it was important to increase the prize fund available to all competitions on the back of the rise of the opportunities provided by Twenty20 cricket, and we were particularly anxious to increase the money that was available for the winners of the LV County Championship to £500,000. This reflects the ECB's commitment to the LV County Championship and the npower Test Matches as the pinnacle of the game.

"These increases reward both players and counties and in a difficult economic climate demonstrate the strength of cricket and our confidence in the domestic game."

CHARLIE SAYS: At last countiy clubs will not lose money by winning the championship, as has often been the case in the past when players' meagre winnings are topped up with incentive bonuses. County cricket and the ECB might well struggle financially next summer in the economic downturn. So thank goodness for the Australians and the likelihood of a competitive Ashes series.