By Martin Gough

Defending champions Sussex travel to New Road on Wednesday to play Worcestershire in a County Championship First Division match.

Sussex would not have won the Championship under new proposals

At the end of that game, the two sides will don coloured clothing on Sunday to meet again, in Division Two of the one-day Totesport League.

With different teams in different divisions in different forms of the game, it is easy for fans, broadcasters and sponsors to get confused.

A draft proposal from the England and Wales Cricket Board attempts to stop that, but it is also suggesting a revolutionary change to the County Championship in 2006.

There are 13 teams in Division One of one competition or the other and it's not easy for people to get their heads around Alan Fordham - ECB cricket operations manager

Instead of having two separate leagues - a four-day and a one-day competition - the board wants to combine the two.

Imagine five-a-side results counting in football's Premiership.

Alan Fordham, ECB cricket operations manager, says a major aim is to eliminate the confusion among fans of the 18 counties.

"There are 13 teams in Division One of one competition or the other and it's not easy for people to get their heads around," he told BBC Sport.

CURRENT COMPETITIONS County Championship: Four-day league Totesport League: One-day league (45 overs) C&G Trophy: One-day knockout (50 overs) Twenty20 Cup: One-day (20 overs) with league qualifiers then knockout

Under the proposal, he says, "There will be one set of tables and spectators will get to know which division their team is in."

Crucially, though, the proposal looks to produce better quality cricket and help the England team.

"One-day internationals and Tests are as important as each other and we need to prioritise both equally," says Fordham.

"This proposal makes county teams concentrate on performance in both forms of the game."

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Sussex are a prime example of a team prioritising one form - in the year they won the Championship for the first time they finished third-from-bottom in the one-day league.

Fordham explains: "It will concentrate talent in the First Division, putting the best players against the best players.

"That is crucial to the betterment of the England team."

Fordham says the suggestion is "the main feature" in a proposal for the restructuring of the game for the 2006 season.

Discussions are ongoing but the suggestion has not met with universal approval from foot soldiers around the counties.

Leicestershire bowler Charlie Dagnall thinks a combined league would be just as confusing.

"The best four-day side should win the Championship," he says.

TOP IN 2003 Championship: Sussex, Lancashire, Surrey One-day league: Surrey, Gloucs, Essex D2 winners: Lancashire If it were combined? Lancashire, Surrey, Sussex How the table might work

"You could come fourth in both [current leagues] and win the Championship."

Fordham admits: "There will be some asymmetry but it is a small price to pay.

"Some people say we are devaluing the County Championship but we think it makes it better because the best side wins.

But Tom Sears, commercial director at Worcestershire, says: "I'm dead set against it."

"We have three unique, different products which apply to different audiences.

Sears believes a simple change in prize money would place the focus on the top division.

"It is daft that teams finishing second and third in Division One get less than the winners of Division Two," he says.

The proposed restructuring goes far further than a combined table, although the ECB is keeping its cards close to its chest until the whole thing is rubber-stamped.

Most of those concerned agree there needs to be an emphasis on improving the quality of cricket played, and attracting more spectators.

Not all believe a combined table needs to be part of that.