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The Scottish National Cricket League caused a furore yesterday by announcing that the play-offs for a place in the Second Division had been cancelled this weekend and that Kelso, winners of the Border League, would now get automatic entry.

The new league's management committee, intent on providing opportunities for minor league clubs to gain entry to the national structure, had made provision for the winners of the Border League, the Western Union, the East League and the Strathmore Union to play-off for a place in the national league's Second Division, the bottom club dropping out.

However, as a stipulation of entry, qualifying clubs have to fill certain criteria in relation to the quality of their ground and facilities. It is also expected that they should have a junior section and appropriate coaching in place.

Aware that some of the leading clubs outside the national league could not meet such requirements, The Management committee had originally asked each league to make alternative nominations. Now, they appear to have reversed that decision. Western Union winners do not have a junior section, East League winners Pakistan Association do not have a ground and Inverurie, winners of the Strathmore Union, do not have national league ambitions.

Thus the league management committee considers that Kelso alone satisfy entry conditions and accordingly they have been awarded promotion, a change of heart which, while welcomed by the Border League club, has not surprisingly provoked angry reaction from other clubs, notably in the west where it was expected that Glasgow Accies, who have excellent facilities and a thriving junior section, would feature in the play-offs.