CRICKET clubs in the West of England have voted in favour of restructuring the WEPL cricket league for the 2016 season, after a national playing survey identified the need to reduce ‘day length and travel’ across the divisions.

Clubs voted in favour of the changes at a meeting last week and the new league structure will be introduced for the 2016 season, in a bid to halt the decline of participation in club cricket.

A statement from the West of England Premier League said: “The 2014 national playing survey has been the catalyst for change.

“The players have spoken and clubs and leagues need to listen and act accordingly if we are to halt the decline in participation.”

The proposed 2016 structure addresses every major concern that players highlighted, by reducing travel and day length for those playing 1st XI Premier Two cricket, reducing the overs played and day length for 1st XI tier four players, reducing day length and increasing challenging opposition for those currently playing 2nd XI Premier One cricket – and reducing travel and day length for those currently playing 2nd XI Premier Two cricket.

The proposed 2016 structure also aims to provide the strongest quality of cricket possible for all clubs and their teams, provide meaningful cricket for 2nd XIs (and 3rds, 4ths etc), create fluidity that will allow cricket teams to reach their potential and to find the level appropriate to their players’ abilities.

It will also solve promotion and relegation problems (geography and simplicity) within 1st and 2nd XI structures of WEPL – and minimise and ensure avoidance of unnecessary travel.

The WEPL statement continued: “The proposed structure is linear and therefore is no longer exclusive to just 1st XI teams.

“A major factor in people leaving or thinking about leaving the game is the time commitment required to play.

“The two main factors affecting the length of a club cricketer's day are travel time to matches and number of overs played.

“These two factors need to reduce accordingly the lower down the leagues you get so that length of day is appropriate to standard of play.”

Kevin Clancy, Chard Cricket Club chairman, said: “The problem has been that we have been having to leave for a game at 8.30am and sometimes not getting back until 10pm.

“It is the first and second teams which it affects and I’m sure people can appreciate that not everybody can commit themselves to such a long day.

“That has had repercussions further down within our teams because players then have to move up and leave the third and fourth teams short of players.

“What this decision is meant to do is to keep players in the game because according to national surveys, the number of players leaving the game early is very high – it is a national concern.

“It’s good news and teams on the periphery have been saying this for a very long time and it will hopefully put a stop to us having to travel 120 miles each way because that’s just too far.”