The formation of a divisional structure for season 2016 has taken significant time and effort. I understand the frustration this must have caused, however it was obviously important that we were happy with the resulting structure.

Although we still have some work to do the final structure is within reach and I am able to reveal some of it to you now together with some explanation for why and how we have got to where we are.
STRUCTURE 2016.

The Premier Division for 2016 will consist of twelve teams - all of which will be current Bradford League teams.

Teams will be placed in the following divisions which will both contain ten teams - these teams will play each other twice - home and away plus four interdivisional games which will be "seeded" i.e. the top four in one division will play the top four in the other division.
One team from each Championship will be promoted into the Premier division at the end of season 2016.

The format of the Championship divisions has been constructed with consideration of playing strengths and with an element of regionalisation. In the end we decided it was unhealthy to have one division consisting of current Bradford League clubs and one division of CYCL clubs - the current format we feel gives a better opportunity for promotion for the better clubs.

There will be one place for the Champion of the current CYCL Championship - which will be either Hopton Mills CC or Liversedge CC. The second placed club in that division will not be promoted.
This will mean that as a result of the re-structuring four current CYCL Premier Division clubs will be placed in the Conference 1 for season 2016.

The two Conference divisions will consist of those four clubs plus the remaining CYCL clubs - Great Preston as the Champion of CYCL Division 1 will be promoted into Conference Division 1. The second placed club in the CYCL Division 1 will not be promoted.

Two existing CYCL clubs had applied for release into the Drakes Huddersfield League. We have decided that the right thing to do is to release Mirfield CC and Mirfield Parish at the end of the current season.

I can also confirm that it is our intention that no league games are played on either a Sunday or a Bank Holiday.

A second team structure is being formed alongside this structure - if at all possible it is our intention that second teams are played at an appropriate level for their playing ability and not simply mirror the division of their first team. If, due to fixture issues, this is not possible then the second team structure will mirror the first team structure.

Conference division clubs will be permitted to register an overseas cricketer for season 2016. They will not however be permitted to register a Tier 5 First Class overseas cricketer - other visa type entrants are permitted.

There remains much work to be done before the start of season 2016, however I remain positive and excited by what we have before us and feel we are working towards the forming the best structure for cricket in West Yorkshire.

Mark Heald
CYCL Chairman.