 This replaced the Executive Committee, which was established following a contentious AGM for the 1972 season in which an exclusive leading division of 12 clubs was set up (with the mirror-image 2nd XI section) that stayed in existence for an overall 27 seasons at the top of the county structure.This in turn had come about because league cricket in the county had existed only for a fragmented minority, but officials saw it as important to establishing a strong county side and finally persuaded a full hand of leading clubs to commit to it.Opposition to league cricket prevailed around this time because it was viewed as being potentially over-competitive, and would also mean the loss of traditional fixtures.