Staffordshire cricketers are finally set to taste action

After the England and Wales Cricket Board announced their guidelines for a return to recreational cricket – supported by government legislation – the local action will start on July 18.

Those ECB guidelines outline actions before, during and after games, including the limiting of shared equipment and no sweat or saliva to be applied to the ball.

All seven leagues in South Staffordshire will play 40 overs and 11-a-side. In the Premier Division, as they have an odd number of 11 teams, all clubs will play each other once.

Leagues one to six will be split into regionalised groups A and B and sides will play each other home and away. On the final day of the season, September 26, the winners of groups A and B in each league will play each other, as will the second-placed teams and so on, meaning every team will get a game.

“The overwhelming response from our clubs was that they would like to play more local cricket, to reduce travel and stick to government guidelines,” league administrator Kevin Herbert said.

“Three clubs decided they couldn’t play cricket this season, but it isn’t fair for me to say who.

“We had 12 teams in total say no to returning, for various reasons, so that has cut our leagues down from 95 clubs to 83.

“We then canvassed opinion from a few Premier Division clubs, who felt that although it would be good to bring one team up to make it 12 and then split the league regionally, they also felt that it is the Premier Division and they want to play at the best level. As an executive committee we decided that we would leave the Premier Division at 11 clubs.

“The rest of the leagues have 12 teams and have been split into two to make it as local as we can.

“It is an east-west split, with Wolverhampton, Sandwell, Walsall, Wednesbury – the M5 corridor clubs – are all together.

“Then the rest is the other side, with Penkridge, Milford, Tamworth, Lichfield and so on. It works quite well.

“There will be a league structure, but there will be no promotion or relegation, however there will be recognised winners and runners-up in each of the leagues to make it competitive.”

The ECB was previously targeting a July 4 return date before the government put a stop to it.

Now that recreational cricket can return, Herbert insists safety is paramount.

“We’re delighted that cricket is starting, but the bottom line for us is that we have to ensure that our clubs, players, members, volunteers and supporters remain safe,” he added.

“That is the overarching thing, we have said that to our clubs all along.

“The guidelines are very sensible and it’s just down to each club on whether they can meet those guidelines to play cricket.

“Some clubs might come back to us and decide that they can’t meet the guidelines.

“But the clubs and players are delighted to see cricket return in a competitive structure.”