That at least could mean that players are tempted away from the 50-over league, contested by clubs that are the financial backbone of the domestic game, and into first-class cricket, where few of them regularly play at the moment.

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And the truth is the middle-class families that are the backbone of our economy have felt their economic security eroding since long before this recession hit.

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But he responded with backbone, progressing from an overnight 71 to finish 119 not out - his 57th first-class century - from 219 deliveries.

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