Exciting season ahead as new league begins
AN EXCITING 21 weeks lies ahead, as the inaugural season of the Northumberland & Tyneside Cricket League (NTCL) starts tomorrow, following the merger of the Northumberland Cricket League (NCL) and the Northumberland & Tyneside Senior League (NTSL).
The teams from Northumberland, Tyneside and Durham all combined to create eight divisions in total – with last season’s N&TSL A1 becoming Division 1, the A2 now Division 2 while the NCL Premier League now becomes Division 3.
Last season’s top six from both the NCL Division 1 and the N&TSL B1 combine to create Division 4. Divisions 5 and 6 are for the second teams, split into North and South groups.
A few changes this year sees league matches in Divisions 1 & 2 commence at 1.30pm, but matches in Division 3 and lower, all have an earlier start time of 1pm. A busy weekend mid-season, with matches taking place on Saturday June 30 and Sunday July 1.
The NTCL has implemented the scoring system used by the NCL, with all clubs now battling for a 30-point maximum win – 20 points for the victory, with a further five batting and bowling bonus points to be won. A tied match earns 10 points while a draw (no play) is still five points for each side.
An addition to the points system is for matches abandoned, after a minimum of 10 overs played. Both sides will each receive eight points, plus any bonus points won.
Matches in Division 5 will be 45 overs with 40-over matches played in Division 6.
Four former NCL sides, Civil Service, Clara Vale, Cramlington and Stobswood, will compete against eight second teams from the three higher leagues, in Division 4.
The new structure left a further seven NCL first teams playing in the second team leagues, five from the former Alnwick & District League. Ulgham and Warenford are in Division 5 North, while relegated Kirkley and Monkseaton join Embleton, Rock and Wooler in Division 6 North.