GCB seek opinions on new formats
17 May 2013
Players are being invited to have their say on the future of club cricket in Gloucestershire and the west.
Cricketers from all levels of the game can give their views on everything from the number of overs played to the distance they have to travel, in an online survey at www.gloucestershirecricketboard.com .
The GCB want to canvass as many people as possible before holding talks over a possible restructure of the current West of England Premier League pyramid that could come into play in time for the 2015 season.
GCB cricket development manager Steve Silk said the review was being undertaken in response to national statistics that have shown a drop in the number of people playing club cricket.
He said: “In response to the national statistics that show a reduction in people playing cricket, the GCB wish to find out what, if any, barriers exist to players wishing to continue playing. In order to ensure that the cricket offered in Gloucestershire is appropriate to the needs of current and future players we would value players at all levels spending five minutes taking the survey.”
The five minute online survey can be done anonymously. However those who enter their name and email address will be entered into a draw for free tickets to a Gloucestershire LV Championship Division Two game of their choice.
In addition to the senior club survey the GCB is also looking at ways to increase the amount of junior cricket played in the county following last year’s rain-affected summer.
Steve said: “Last season was one of the worst on record for the number of cancelled and abandoned games across both junior and senior cricket. In some parts of Gloucestershire, this led to leagues being cancelled for the season and the concern is that the summer of 2012 may have left a lasting memory on some players. This is something we are keen to address.”
With many junior leagues currently finishing by mid-July the Board’s Youth League & Performance Development Group is keen to extend the season into August and September. They are also looking at starting a ‘cricket ladder’ based on the format used in recreational squash leagues where the focus is on playing games rather than winning.
Steve said: “A very substantive reason for clubs not wanting to play junior league and cup games in July/August is because clubs struggle to get numbers due to family holidays. For this reason we have tried to look at a way of taking the ‘win at all cost’ mentality away from junior cricket and instead come up with a way of rewarding the effort to play.”
The plan is for the GCB to publish contacts details for all teams that wish to play more fixtures during August /September on their website. It will then be down to the clubs themselves to get in touch with each other and arrange matches at a time and format that best suits them.
Rather than following a traditional league structure points will be earned, not just for winning but for playing, so teams that are more pro-active have more chance of leading the competition.
Steve said: “Our only aim from this is to get more young people playing in games and for all of our players to play over a longer period. We hope clubs will be open to the idea.”
If your club would be interested in this idea or would like to offer their view please email steve.silk@glosccc.co.uk.
