The SNEL Executive Committee can now confirm the make-up of the Playing Regulations Sub-Committee.

We were very pleased to received 14 applications from club representatives to serve on this committee which was very encouraging.

We considered each application and took a number of things into account in coming to our final decision. This included ensuring we had a spread of ages, locations and sufficient experience of all areas of league cricket.

The Sub-Committee will consist of 8 people - 4 from the current Exec and 4 club representatives:-

Andrew Kennedy - Chairman

Cliff Greenhill – Secretary

Graham Jelley – Panel Umpire and ECCB Board Rep

Tom Clarke – Fixture Sec

Paul Middlemiss – Upminster CC

Mark Wheeler – Buckhurst Hill CC

Alex Bailey – Chelmsford CC

Chris Hunt – Southend-on-Sea CC

The first meeting of the sub-committee has been set for Weds 2nd December.

There are 7 topics this committee will focus on over the next few months with the priority given to items 1 to 4 on the below list. Since we are doing an online handbook for 2016 we do not need to confirm final playing regulations for the 2016 season until early April so we should have plenty of opportunity to progress most of these discussions.

  1. Split format for all XIs
  2. Shorter format for 3rd XI and below
  3. Regionalisation of the 4th XI divisions and below
  4. Simplified limited over regulations for 2nd XI and below
  5. Simplified timed regulations for all XIs
  6. Duckworth Lewis in all 1st XI limited over matches
  7. Simplified regulations for 1st XI matches to mimic current ODI format – no catching circles, all no-balls as free hits etc

We do want all clubs to be able to be involved in this process and this will be made possible by using the club reps as the focal point for feedback from clubs. Each of the above club reps will be responsible for a group of 10 league clubs as detailed below. Clubs should pass ideas, feedback and comment on the above topics through to the relevant club rep.

MARK WHEELER () – Buckhurst Hill, Harlow, Harlow Town, Loughton, Epping, Woodford Green, Woodford Wells, Fives, Wanstead, South Woodford

CHRIS HUNT () – Southend, Old Southendians, Leigh-on-Sea, Westcliff, Benfleet, Hadleigh, Basildon, Horndon, Orsett, Stanford

PAUL MIDDLEMISS () – Upminster, Ilford, Hornchurch, Gidea Park, Old Parkonians, Hainault, Belhus, Walthamstow, West Essex, Chingford

ALEX BAILEY () – Chelmsford, Colchester, Hutton, Shenfield, Brentwood, Harold Wood, Wickford, Billericay, Old Brentwoods, Ardleigh Green

We are happy to take views from club committees but we really need to ensure that these are truly the views of the players. In the past years we have heard one thing at League meetings from a league delegate but then hear a very different story when talking to people actually playing the game. Please when communicating to the club reps below, ensure that the views of your players are at the forefront.

This is a really exciting time for the league and I hope you will all get involved in moving this forward and improving cricket in Essex.

Andrew Kennedy – SNEL Chairman on behalf of the Executive Committee