ECB Cornwall Premier League

Change of format for 2004

There will be a change of format to the Jolly's Drinks ECB Cornwall Premier League next season.

Following a proposal, from St Just C.C., clubs have been balloted with the suggestion of increasing the season to twenty-seven games with teams playing each other three times. The proposal gained most support as opposed to the options of either maintaining the status quo of playing each other twice, with an extra four 'pot luck' games, or playing each other twice only giving an eighteen game season with four blank match days.

The favoured proposal will see an extension to both ends of the season in April and September with these games fixtured on Sundays to avoid clashes with winter sports. Apart from the traditional Bank Holidays there only will be two 'double weekends' of 'back to back' games which will avoid County fixtures and be played in the later part of the season.

The League Management Committee have confirmed that the Premier League season in 2004 will commence on Sunday 18th April with the final set of games on Sunday 12th September.

The LMC have also announced that the season for the rest of the League will start a week later than usual next year on Saturday 1st May and end on Saturday 4th September. The move should help a number of clubs in lower divisions who have difficulties with an April start, ensure the final set of games are played on a Saturday rather than Bank Holiday Monday and take advantage of usual better ground conditions at the end of the season.

The LMC have also announced the composition of the divisions for 2004 after having been faced with a dilemma when determining the make up of the lowest divisions.

During the year Mylor, St Newlyn East Firsts & Seconds, Barripper Seconds, Tregony Seconds, Saltash Seconds and Pencarrow Seconds all withdrew from the League. St Newlyn East have subsequently re-applied and, in accordance with League Rules, been accepted into the lowest division. After making up the numbers in other divisions only four teams remained in Division 7 East and only five teams in Division 8 West. Taking account the geography involved it has been decided to amalgamate these divisions for next season to give a lowest division of nine teams. The situation will be reviewed annually to allow teams to return to their normal sections if vacancies permit.

Click here for a full list of the 163 teams in 14 divisions

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