KENT County Cricket Club chiefs are backing calls for an examination into the game’s finances that could force the sport's fat-cat counties onto a leaner diet.

On the eve of announcing losses of £40,123 for last financial year, club chairman Carl Openshaw is one of several county chiefs hoping to persuade the England and Wales Cricket Board to re-think the distribution of England Test match profits amongst the 18 first-class counties.

While the non-Test match grounds struggle to make ends meet, the counties plying their trade at the big six venues of Old Trafford, Trent Bridge, Headingley, The Oval, Edgbaston and Lord’s appear to be extending the financial chasm off the back of bigger ECB hand-outs.

If the present situation continues unchecked Kent fears it will be increasingly difficult to compete with the Test match hosting counties who, with their inflated wage structures will continue to attract the big-name players and dominate the domestic game in the process. “We have a meeting with the ECB next week and a further one in March and I believe this matter will certainly be on the agenda,” said Mr Openshaw.

“It is an issue that is understood within the game and there are clearly other counties in a more difficult financial position than Kent, so there will be some debate into how cricket wants to go by way of distributing its funds.

“At this moment, it’s almost impossible for a county like Kent to balance the need to field a competitive cricket squad whilst achieving a profit at the end of the year, so we must look at ways of ensuring that county cricket survives at all 18 counties.”

Five of the six Test match venues have yet to release last year’s accounts, but it is clear that a gulf exists already.

While Nottinghamshire announced profits of £140,000 at their Trent Bridge venue, non-Test neighbours Gloucestershire and Worcestershire have already announced six-figure losses and others are expected to follow suit.

And the fact that reigning champions Surrey further strengthened their squad in the close season, despite already having the capability to field an all-international 11, indicates that the financial chasm between the non-Test match counties and their bigger brothers is widening.

“The evidence is clear that Test match counties are more profitable than the other 12 clubs,” added Mr Openshaw. “That said, it is right that they receive additional funding to help meet the extra costs of staging and paying for the upkeep of a Test match ground.

“But I believe the balance has swung too far in favour of the Test match venues because they do have the significant advantage of catering income, parking fees, hospitality clients and shop revenue that all go with hosting a five-day Test.

“We are delighted that Kent have been selected as a venue for regular one-day internationals for the foreseeable future, but that doesn’t create the income of a five-day Test.”

Mr Openshaw said one of the possibilities being considered to help try and restore a level playing field amongthe counties will be a wage capping system at all 18 of the clubs. But in the meantime he has called for Kent supporters to back the county in the forthcoming championship campaign.

“We are very much aware that the health of our cricket club’s finances is increasingly dependent on our success on the field,” added the club chairman.

“I believe Kent still provides good value to our supporters and sponsors and that we played attractive cricket in winning the National League in 2001 and finishing third in the championship.

“We also play on three incredibly attractive grounds, so I urge all those who want to see Kent maintain their position as a leading county to support the team and get behind the county club this summer.”