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Southern Premier Plans get Lord's Nod of Approval
Mike Vimpany - 28 May 2000
The England & Wales Cricket Board has accredited the Southern Premier League, Division 1 as an ECB Premier League Elect for the 2000 season - and given the League's administrators a hearty pat on the back in the process.
In granting Premier League Elect status, the ECB's Accreditation Panel congratulated the Steering Group on the process it adopted to place the 38 competing teams in the three Premier Divisions for the current season.
"The detailed assessment of facilities and youth structures will have taken a significant amount of effort and the Steering Group is to be congratulated on the way they have emphasised the importance of facilities and youth structures, whilst reflecting recent playing strength," wrote Frank Kemp, ECB Cricket Operations Manager (Recreational Cricket).
The Southern Premier League Division 1 has only received 'Elect' status at this stage because the playing format for the 2000 season (outlined below) does not entirely fulfil the ECB's stipulation that Premier League matches should be of a minimum 110-over duration, but with matches of a minimum of 120 overs as the preferred 'one-day' format.
The Accreditation Panel has, however, acknowledged that "there may be cricketing merit in playing the two formats and will be keen to monitor and understand the experiment." Division 1 cricket may require adherence to one of the ECB playing formats in 2001 to obtain full accreditation status. So, how is the Southern Premier League to be played this season ? The Premier Division 1 clubs will play 18 games, with the season immensely interesting under a unique format that attempts to blend the best of one-day time cricket and one-day result cricket. The major features are as follows -
· Nine games in mid-season to be played over 120 overs, with the side batting first limited to 66 overs (55 per cent of the total number of overs). A draw is possible but the points structure is set to maximise positive cricket and taking wickets. Each of these games will start at 11.30 am and will aim to end at 7.45pm. There will be three breaks (Lunch or equivalent, between innings, tea). The maximum yield of points from a game will be 22. There are severe points penalties for failing to achieve a rate of 17 overs per hour.
· Nine games (split 5 at the beginning of the season and 4 at the end) of 50 overs per side, win/lose cricket, very much as in previous seasons. There is a bowling maximum of 10 overs per bowler as in first class cricket of a similar nature, with identical fielding restrictions. Again the maximum yield of points will be 22 per game.
· One club will be relegated to Division 2 at the end of the season and be replaced by the top team of that Division, subject to accreditation. Each club will play all others twice – at home in one competition and away in the other.
In Premier Division 2, clubs will play 18 games, on a home and away basis, in a competition identical to the previous Southern League, with a maximum of 12 overs per bowler. The opportunity will exist for the top side to be promoted provided if it has the non-playing set-up suitable to move into Division 1. The bottom two teams will be relegated to Division 3.
Premier Division 3 will be a 17-game season, with clubs playing each other once, with the format along the lines of the old Southern League, with a maximum of 12 overs per bowler. Two teams will be relegated and two can be promoted if they have the non playing set up suitable to move into Division 2
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