Charlie Randall on Cricket -

Village Cup now goes 'village'

NEW RULES WILL FORCE OUT THE HOLDERS

ECB DIVERT CLUB RESOURCES TO TWENTY20

THE face of club cricket will start to change next year when the ECB divert resources to their national twenty20 competition, and there will be a fundamental rule change in the village cup, with a ban on the controversial importing of league players and marginalising clubs with 'professionals' within their structure.

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The Npower National Village Cup will become more 'village' after concern at the abused practice of Saturday players from other clubs representing a village on Sundays. These recruits might be straight Premier League pot-hunters or those affectionately returning to their old haunts to seek some glory for their mentors.

The Wisden Cricketer magazine, the organisers, announced the rule change in their November issue, saying that it was felt that the practice of using players from outside a club was "not in keeping with the spirit of the village competition". The participation of ECB premier league teams was rightly stopped years ago, but clubs with professional structures, especially those using overseas assistance, have become ineligible -- including Valley End, this year's winners, who pay the air fare for a player used for league games. This practice, followed by many clubs, now falls within the new definition of professionalism in rule 9 iii.

Valley End, the first club from Surrey to win, fielded three premier leaguers in the 'old boy' category perfectly legally, but from 2009 onwards players will be ineligible for the cup if they belong to another club. The Saturday imports issue threatened to destabilise the competition, with several clubs -- possibly a high number -- considering a boycott under the existing rules. The weight of feeling was reflected recently on this website when more than 170 comments were appended to a report of the 2008 final at Lord's between Valley End and Woodhouse Grange.

For that sometimes heated discussion about the Valley End principle, see 'news and views' above, 'other news' and click on 'club cricket'.

The ECB's flagship club event becomes the Cockspur Twenty20 in 2009 after this year's final in Cardiff where John Graham inspired South Northumberland to a 54-run win over their London opponents Stanmore under lights at the Swalec Stadium in September, televised by Sky Sports. The beaten semi-finalists were Bracebridge Heath and St Just. 'South-North' have been familiar powerhouses in the 45-over National Cup. So perhaps the balance of power will not change much in future, whatever the competition.

Cockspur have switched their sponsorship from the old 45-over competition that has been running since 1969. The ECB announced today that they would not be scrapping it, even if new sponsors could not be found, though it will be reduced in size and the final will not be held at Lord's next year. This follows consultation with the League Cricket Conference, Club Cricket Conference, Midlands Club Cricket Conference and some individual leagues and clubs.

The ECB’s head of recreational cricket Paul Bedford said: "Sunday afternoon cricket is important and essential to the health of the recreational game. Twenty20 cricket is more than just the game and provides an opportunity for people to come to cricket in the evening, it enables young players to mix with older players, is a great platform for attracting volunteers to the game and provides a vibrant and inclusive environment for club cricket."

The ECB said the maximum possible entry for the national club championship would be 256 teams in 2009, with no clubs from Scotland allowed. All 2008 entries from England and Wales have been invited to be considered for inclusion, but it might be necessary to limit the numbers. Alongside this, the Cockspur Club Twenty20 qualifiers from 25 Premier League set-ups enter a knockout phase, with the finals at a prestige venue.

The shift of emphasis away from the old national cup, which started with Hampstead's win over Pocklington Pixies in 1969, has coincided with the demise of the Evening Standard Trophy, a well respected 50-overs knockout for the London area that began in 1992, with the final at the Oval. The newspaper ended its sponsorship this winter, and no alternative backers have been found.

The prestige of the old flagship national competition will remain for the time being, though the ambitions of the vast majority of entrants will remain be limited to area finals. Only a few elite clubs have a realistic chance of reaching the final, though whether that matters or not is open to conjecture.

The 20-over format has been popular at club level for more than 50 years and that will not change. The ECB have been persuaded not to leave the knockout cups to the leagues and county boards, and it might be significant that in Middlesex, for example, interest in restricted knockout competition seems to have weakened.

The ECB announced that the following criteria would be used in judging suitable entries for the national championaship: 1) Player registration carried out on the Club’s Play-Cricket site 2) League and Division that the Club plays in on a Saturday 3) Standard of ground and ancillary facilities 4) Previous history of the Club in the competition.

The draw for each group will be seeded, as in previous years, based on the record of the club in the previous season both in this competition and in the Premier League, Premier Divisions. The entry fee for the competition in 2009 will be £50.

The village cup retains the prestige of a Lord's final, on a Monday again in 2009, and one wonders if removal of this aspect of glory would reduce interest in the competition.

Posted by Charlie
20/10/2008 17:49:54

I believe it was my comment, mentioning that Valley End was the first surrey club to win the Npower village cup but the second to reach the final at Lords, that started the "string" which I must say expanded out of all proportion and many comments made were in poor taste.

However, to the present, in the article there is no mention of rule 9(iii) which states..........
If a club (or third party) pay air fares or accommodation costs for any player, that will be considered reward for playing cricket and the club will not be entered into the competition.

Sadly, Valley End will be unable to take part in the village cup in 2009. The additional rule 10 (i) we would encompass but 9 (iii) will prevent us, along with many other clubs, the number will be high.

It will be of interest to know how many it effects, as clubs strive on a saturday to gain promotion through the divisions/leagues and improve their coaching staff for colts with an overseas player.

We entered the competition in 2004 for the first time in doubt of our ability, with 14 and 15 year olds. In 2009 with our 'old boys' now 19, 19 and 26 years old, we have the memory of the Lords final which will stay with the club for a long time.

We are grateful and respectful of the achievement. We have enjoyed the five years in the competition being able to play clubs in different parts of the county and subsequently other county clubs.

We wish Wisden and the Npower Village Cup competition all the best for 2009.

It’s hard to know how hard the organisers of the village cup thought about the new rules published recently. We’re told that a number of clubs threatened a boycott if further restrictions were not introduced, so I hope these clubs are now satisfied, but this won’t improve their cricket or increase numbers in the competition. Neither finalist will be allowed to play next year falling fowl of the new rule 9 (iii), and it must be with some irony that Rowledge CC, supporters of which were at the forefront of the campaign for rule restrictions, reflect on their own ineligibility. Hoist, one might think, by their own. A flyer went out with the recent edition of Wisden Cricketer, but the failure of the organisers to include rule 9(iii) on this was disingenuous and gives a totally false impression of their aspirations. Many modest clubs have an overseas player, and whilst there might be a few who have paid for their own flights, accommodation and living expenses, all the ones I have known have had a significant contribution from their club; so this new rule effectively bans all clubs who have had an overseas player this year. Proof for and against such payments may be impossible, so how will Wisden police this area?
Of course there will be a number of very successful clubs who do not employ an overseas player and one such club will win next year. Perhaps two of our very worthy opponents this year, Carew and High Roding, will be able to play. It will sadly, be a diminished achievement. The organisers fail to realise that while the Village Cup continues it has its own organic life and the changes they make are no more than loping another head off Hydra. Ever since the competition’s inception the organisers have sought to limit the entry in a futile attempt to get a “3 man and a dog” team to Lords, so beware all decent clubs having a go next year; if you succeed you must be too good and more changes will follow. I have a few suggestions for James Milner and Kam Sohi to help them achieve their goals;
1) No player under 25 may play as the athleticism of youth is contrary to the spirit of village cricket
2) No player who has ever been seen to play with a straight bat
3) Bowlers run ups to be restricted to 3 paces.
4) All players must be born in the Parish of the club they represent
5) No club may enter if they run a winter nets programme

Etc etc.

Then there is the matter of no player playing in league or cup cricket for another club. Reasonable at first sight but another ill thought out proposal. How will Wisden police this? Had they insisted on all entrants using play cricket they might have had half a chance but who’s to know where everyone is playing? And what is “a club”. Does this mean a youth can’t play for his school or university cricket club, or his old boys CC? (Of course new rule (1) would disqualify these as being too young).
I suspect the organisers do not mean to stop university players appearing for their village club, as we are then subjected to a rambling about UCCE players and first class cricket. Are they even aware that in 2010 all UCCE’s will be non first class, so will they then be able to play? Don’t suppose the standard will go down in the UCCE’s because they have lost their status.
I’m just off to ask Aldershot FC if they want Chelsea banned from the FA cup.................