Cricket in East Anglia is set to change on May 1st with the launch of the East Anglian Premier Cricket League.

To mark the occasion, a small ceremony will take place at Lakenham Cricket Ground prior to the match between Swardeston and Bury St Edmunds.

The Premier League is designed to give East Anglia's Club Cricketers experience of playing a version more akin to first class cricket.

The standard is expected to be high with a number of players with first class county experience taking part.

Frank Kemp, the ECB's Recreational Manager who overseas the Premier Leagues, said

``The Premier League concept Is proving highly popular. We believe the new League will strengthen the foundations of the game in East Anglia and help nurture the next generation of First Class and Test Cricketers.''

From over 20 clubs who originally applied, the working party set up by the County Boards of Cambridgeshire, Essex, Huntingdonshire, Norfolk and Suffolk finally invited Bury St Edmunds, Cambridge Granta, Cambridge St Giles, Clacton, Godmanchester, Norwich, Swardeston, and Vauxhall Mallards to form the new League.

Matches will be of 120 overs and commence at 11.00am.

Discussions are at an advanced stage in establishing a Feeder structure in all areas covered by the East Anglian Premier Cricket League.

As yet, the League has been unable to secure a Sponsor, however the Committee feel that they have an exciting product and with the strong media coverage assured, the future of East Anglian cricket looks bright.