To fulfil these commitments, the counties need a full-time playing staff of cricketers, with the primary objective of making sure that the team is competitive in the pursuit of silverware. Whilst the simplicity of the Australian system is admirable there are several crucial differences in the structure of the game between the two countries. The counties have a core group of members and the crowds, especially for One-day cricket, are big enough to make it worth their while financially. The Australian game does not have this and it is difficult to ignore this source of generating revenue. Club cricket below first-class standard in England is not of a sufficiently high enough standard to provide a good enough training ground for players to make the step up to higher levels.
English players can earn decent money if they are good enough at county level.
Plus there is the benefit system. This is designed to give long serving players an important payday towards the end of their career to help them through the difficult transition to a post cricket career. It is a big factor in determining where geographically players play and for how long. With no recognisable path to the top for English amateur cricketers, there is a danger that we can be too prescriptive about what is the right age to consider appropriate or passed it. Cricketers mature at different times.