Durham chairman Sir Ian Botham has repeated his call for the England and Wales Cricket Board to introduce a transfer system so counties are compensated when they lose talented players they have helped develop through their academy system.
The former England all-rounder is unhappy Durham will lose Paul Coughlin after he rejected a new contract at his hometown club in favour of joining Nottinghamshire.
The 24-year-old academy graduate, who will not play again this season due to a side strain, has turned down fresh terms at Durham to sign a three-year deal at Trent Bridge.
Nottinghamshire are close to securing promotion from Specsavers County Championship Division Two, where Durham sit second bottom following a 48-point deduction for accepting a financial bailout from the ECB last October.
Botham released a statement on the county website and has repeated his call on Sky Sports News, saying: " I've worked with these boys through the academy.
"So, you take these boys away, we've then got to replace them. Where do we get the money to replace him? We are saying: 'You want our player, you pay us a transfer fee'."
Botham believes counties like Durham, who helped nurture current England all-rounder Ben Stokes, deserve to receive some form of compensation for the time and money they invest in helping players to develop.
Botham added: " I think it's the only way we can exist. We have an academy and we produce so many players for England, more than probably any other side since '93 when we came into first-class cricket, and it's sad we are taking two steps forward and three back.
"I'm not quite sure how (the ECB) expect us to do that. They need to wake up to what's going on."
Botham expects England Test opener Keaton Jennings to leave Durham over the winter but is more relaxed about that possible departure.
He said: " Oh I think Keaton will go. Keaton has been very honest about it and he's handled himself with dignity throughout. I wish him all the very best, I wish Paul all the very best."
Meanwhile, Botham has sent his best wishes to the woman injured when part of a stand collapsed at Chester-le-Street during England's Twenty20 loss to West Indies.
Botham said on Sky Sports News: "We understand she has had an operation and is recovering.
" Why this happened we don't know and now we will have to wait until it has gone through the process but from Durham's point of view our major concern is that she gets well quickly and (we) hope to see her come back to the ground and enjoy herself.
"It was a great game, it was a great atmosphere and it was just a shame that that happened. It took the icing off the cake. We wish her well."
Source: PA
