Cricket: Competition votes against league changes

Feb 2 2008 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

A PROPOSAL to add eight clubs to the Business Assistance Liverpool Competition and divide the league into three 12-team divisions failed to achieve the necessary two-thirds majority at the SGM at Sefton Park on Thursday evening.

Fifteen of the Competition’s 28 clubs voted in favour of the proposal, four short of the number required, and the present two divisional structure will now continue until at least the end of the 2009 season. However, the fact that a simple majority voted in favour of change may mean that further moves to expand the league will be made over the next year or so.

The defeated proposal would have meant that only one club being relegated from the Competition in 2009 instead of two under the present system, and this increased “security” might appeal to some.

But one of the opinions held by the 10 clubs who voted against change was that the present system needed further time to establish itself.

“We had a very positive and sensible discussion and all the issues were aired,” said league secretary Chris Weston. “There was no negative feeling at the end of the process. My personal view is that the issue will be revisited.”

The 2008 Liverpool Competition season gets under way in 10 weeks on April 12 with a full programme in both the ECB Premier League and the First Division.