By CONRAD SUTCLIFFE

CLUBS in the Tolchards Devon League are going to be asked what sort of competition they would like to see if and when cricket gets the go-ahead to start playing.

Any decision to commence playing cricket will cascade down from the Government to the ECB and then to the Devon Cricket Board and the Devon Cricket League. No firm dates have been fixed yet. 

Nick Rogers, the league chairman, recently unveiled a provisional blueprint that has friendly cricket being played from mid-July as a warm-up to something more organised in August.

Rogers has already floated the idea of ‘adaptive cricket’ as a first step, although the prospect of playing eight-a-side friendlies drew a cool response from some sections of Devon’s cricket community.

Chairman Rogers said while waiting for ECB approval to start playing there is time to canvass clubs to see what they want.

“The league is a large competition with clubs at many different levels and players of differing abilities and ages,” said Rogers.

“Clubs with teams in the top two or three divisions with players who are younger probably won’t have the same priorities as teams lower down, whose players are older.

“It may well be some of the lower clubs will struggle to get teams out as older players won’t want to travel. Some of the players may have health concerns.”

Issues around how to get cricket started when or if the Government sanction it were discussed recently by the league’s executive members at a virtual meeting.

Although clubs will be asked for their opinions on playing conditions, one decision has been made for them.

“We do not see that there is going to be a meaningful league programme to justify promotion and relegation, so there will be none,” said Rogers.

Chairmen and secretaries at clubs will be invited to take part in the playing survey next week.

A number of ideas have been floated by clubs already, ranging from mini-divisions of five clubs playing 50-over matches based on splitting existing divisions geographically through to Twenty20 festival days and local competitions between clubs at broadly the same level.

A traditional Devon League season ends either on the final Saturday in August or the first Saturday in September. Extending it later than that may affect some clubs’ ability to host home games.

David Sheppard, the league’s newly appointed secretary, said clubs must be involved in the wider decision-making process due to the possible implications for them and their members.

“It is important the league understands the restrictions some clubs may be faced with if, for example, we were to consider extending the closing date of the season,” said Sheppard.

“Similarly, some clubs may have members who have health concerns and may be reluctant to play in 2020. This might impact on the club’s ability to field its usual number of teams. 

“So that the league can complete a ‘preparing phase’ we will be inviting all member clubs to complete a short survey which will allow us to lay plans for a match programme in 2020. 

“Clearly, any programme will have to have regard to any Government directions in place at that time. 

“At the rate the lockdown is being eased this is still some weeks away from the return of ‘normal’ cricket.

“There have been small but positive steps in recent weeks permitting the use of cricket nets and latterly group training. While these steps may be small and necessarily incremental the direction of travel is encouraging.”