Cricket Scotland Future Structures Group - Final Proposals

Meeting of SNCL Clubs – Sunday 9th October 2011

Final Proposals for Reconstruction - Scottish National Cricket League

Introduction

The Future Structures Group (FSG), under the direction of the Board of Cricket Scotland, has produced the SNCL Reconstruction Report 2011. As stated in the report, the FSG has conducted three regional consultation meetings and hereby propose the following two preferred options. These options are to be considered by clubs and voted upon at the Meeting of SNCL Clubs on Sunday 9th October 2011.

The decision will be made by a vote of the 32 SNCL member clubs for 2012. Each club present will be entitled to one vote, with a straight majority deciding which option is to be adopted. The decision of the member clubs will then be submitted to the Board of Cricket Scotland for ratification. In the event of the vote being tied the matter will be referred to the Board for their consideration.

Proposals
The Future Structures Group hereby propose the following two preferred options to be considered and voted on by the 32 members clubs –

Option 1

To retain a National League and reduce the number of teams from thirty two to twenty, with teams competing in two divisions of ten.

This will be achieved as follows –

•The top ten placed teams in the SNCL Premiership in 2011 will form the
National League Premier Division in 2012.

•The remaining six teams in the SNCL Premiership in 2011 and the top four placed teams in the SNCL Championship in 2011 will form the National League First Division in 2012.

•The remaining 11 teams in the SNCL Championship in 2011 and the winner of the 2011 SNCL Play off will be returned to compete in the top division of their respective Regional Feeder Leagues in 2012.

•The team finishing first in the National league Premier Division in 2012 will be the winners of the National League.

•The team finishing tenth in the National League Premier Division in 2012 will be automatically relegated to the National League First Division, while the winners of the First Division will be automatically promoted to the Premier Division

•The team finishing ninth in the National league Premier Division in 2012 will meet the team finishing second in the National League First Division in an end of season play off, with the winner competing in the Premier Division the following season and the loser in the First Division

•The team finishing tenth in the National League First Division in 2012 will be automatically relegated to the top division of their respective Regional Feeder League and will be replaced by the winner of the National League Play off.

•The team finishing ninth in the National League First Division will play the loser of the play off final with the winner competing in the National League First Division the following season.

Option 2

Establish two new Regional Premier Leagues.

The (WDCU) Western Premier League will be integrated into the existing WDCU structure and administered in partnership with Cricket Scotland.

The (ES/SPU) Eastern Premier League will be administered by a joint ESCA / SPCU Premier League Management Group in partnership with Cricket Scotland and will be integrated into the existing ESCA and SPCU league structures below Premier League level.

This will be achieved as follows –

•Two Regional Premier Leagues will be established in 2012 with clearly defined
memberships.

•Each Regional Premier League will consist of one Division of no more than 10 teams, unless otherwise agreed by the relevant league association and Cricket
Scotland.

•Both Premier Leagues will adopt common entry criteria, playing conditions and league rules as agreed in partnership with Cricket Scotland’s Domestic Cricket Committee

•The day to day running of the Regional Premier Leagues will be devolved to the respective league associations with certain matters (such as Regional Premier League entry criteria, playing conditions, appeals procedures etc) reserved to the Cricket Scotland Domestic Cricket Committee.

•The terms under which the Regional Premier Leagues will operate will be clearly prescribed via a memorandum of understanding

•.A Premiership Final will be held on completion of the league season between the winners of the Western and Eastern Premier Leagues.

WDCU Western Premier League

•The 14 current SNCL teams will be integrated into the existing WDCU structure in 2012. The WDCU Executive will send out an addendum to all WDCU clubs by Wednesday 5th October regarding their preferred Premier League structure for 2012.

•The Western Premier League will be integrated into the existing WDCU League structure through an agreed system of promotion and relegation. This would be subject to any promoted club meeting Regional Premier League entry criteria.

ESCA / SPCU Eastern Premier League

•The Eastern Premier League for 2012 will consist of the 10 best placed teams affiliated to ESCA or the SPCU in the 2011 SNCL, unless otherwise agreed. The remaining ESCA and SPCU clubs in the SNCL will be integrated into their appropriate regional league structure.

•The Eastern Premier League will be integrated into the existing ESCA and SPCU structure through an agreed system of promotion and relegation. This would be subject to any promoted club meeting Regional Premier League criteria.

Amendment to Option 1

The Future Structures Group strongly believes that the option which is adopted by the clubs should be implemented immediately for the 2012 season. This is consistent with the fundamental belief that this would be in the best long term interest of Scottish club cricket.

Should option 1 be adopted however, the Group respects the democratic right of the 32 members of the SNCL to decide how the reduction of 32 teams down to 20 should be managed. As suggested in the League Restructure Report 2011 this could be done through immediate reduction, as has been detailed in the initial vote, or managed reduction via a qualifying season.

Therefore, should option 1 be adopted, the FSG request the clubs to consider and vote Yes or No to the following Amendment

Option 1 shall be amended to –

To retain a National League and reduce the number of teams from thirty two to twenty, with teams competing in two divisions of ten.

This will be achieved as follows –

•The top ten placed teams in the SNCL Premiership in 2011 will form the SNCL Premiership for 2012.

•The remaining 22 teams will be divided equally into two 11 team divisions, titled Championship A and Championship B.

•Championship A will comprise of the teams ranked 11,13,15,17,19,21,23,25,27,29 and 31 in the 2011 SNCL.

•Championship B will comprise of the teams ranked 2,14,16,18,20,22,24,26,28,30 in the 2011 SNCL and the SNCL Play off winner.

•The team finishing first in the Premiership in 2012 will be the winners of the Scottish National Cricket League. The following mechanism will be applied to establish two divisions of 10 teams in 2013 to be known as National League Premier Division and National League First Division.

•The top eight teams in the SNCL Premiership in 2012 will automatically be included in the National League Premier Division in 2013.

•The team finishing tenth in the SNCL Premiership in 2012 will be automatically relegated to the newly established National League First Division for 2013.

•The winners of Championship A and B in 2012 will play off with the play off winner being automatically promoted to the newly established National League Premier Division for 2013.

•The loser of the Championship Play-off will play the team finishing ninth in the SNCL Premiership with the winner competing in the Premier League in 2013 and the loser in the First Division.

•.The remaining eight places in the newly established National League First Division in 2013 will comprise the teams finishing second, third, fourth and fifth in Championships A and B.

•The remaining six teams in Championship A and B (12 in total) will be returned to compete in their respective Regional Feeder leagues in 2013.

•There will be no SNCL Play off for feeder league teams for one season only in 2012

•From 2013 the National League rules as stated in option 1 with regard to promotion and relegation will apply.

League Criteria

The Clubs, Officials and Facilities Group will produce a single set of revised rules and entry criteria which will be applied should either Option 1 or Option 2 be adopted. Clubs should expect these rules/criteria to be tightened incrementally in 2012, 2013/14 and 2015.

Cricket Scotland – Future Structures Group, September 2011