The EAPL has confirmed their start date as the 16th April.  This is early in April when the weather and pitch preparation could be difficult and is also Easter Saturday.  Could member clubs consider the following options and feedback to Alan Rogers or Rick Jones before the AGM on Wednesday13th October please?

1. We stay in line with Divisions 1-5 going along with the EAPL dates.
2. We start our programme a week later on the 23rd April.  This would mean that to accommodate the EAPL play offs Division 1 clubs would need to play one match on a Bank Holiday Monday.
3. Division 1 runs in line with the EAPL and the remaining divisions fall in with option 2 playing one round of fixtures on the first date of the EAPL play offs.  With this option the MSC would regulate those playing on that day to ensure that clubs do not strengthen up.

Witham have successfully completed their bid to achieve East Anglian Premier League status after defeating Eaton Socon, from Huntingdonshire, by 136 runs in the play-off Final at The Park on Saturday.
Full match details can be found via Witham CC (play-cricket.com)

At a MSC meeting today (06/09/2021) the following was decided:

(Relegation in Divisions 1 to 5 will be the bottom 2 teams in a Division as per Rule 6.)

If Witham CC are promoted to the EAPL:

Division 1 – 3 clubs will be promoted from Division 2.

Division 2 – Currently 11 teams, 3 up and 2 down (one of the two being Ipswich who dropped out) leaving 7, supplemented by 2 down from Division 1 and 3 up from Division 3 to give 12 teams.

Division 3 – Currently 12 teams, 3 up and 2 down leaving 7 teams, supplemented with 1 down from Division 2 and 4 up from Division 4.

Division 4 – Currently 12 teams, 4 up and 2 down, leaving 6 teams, supplemented with 2 down from Division 3 and 4 up from Division 5.

Division 5 – Currently 12 teams,  4 up and 2 down, leaving 6 teams, supplemented with 2 down from Division 3 and 4 up from Division 6.

If Witham CC are not promoted to the EAPL, then promotion will be reduced by 1 team in each league from the above structure in Divisions 1 to 6.

The structure of Divisions 6 and below will be determined:

1. When new clubs apply and are successfully voted in at the AGM. (Rule 8)
2. When additional clubs are added to the Championship from an existing club.
3. When a decision is made at the AGM regarding those clubs who seek re-election because they have conceded more than 3 matches in the 2021 league season. (Rule 18b)  Such clubs re-elected will start at the lowest Division.
4. By the MSC if and when any restructuring takes place.
5. By the MSC in consideration of the playing record of teams in Divisions 6 and below if a position in a league is available as in 3 above.

Relegation numbers are cast in tablets of stone as above but any team may decide NOT to take any promotion offered providing they advise the MSC before the fixtures are completed so that adjustments can be made.

Well it’s not ……… but let’s hope it is the last …………………

A 1st team player at Worlington CC tested negative on Monday after feeling nauseous on Friday.  He did play however in the fixture with Braintree on Saturday.  All 1st team players from Worlington CC have now been tested and there are no more positive results – the player did not enter the clubhouse and went straight home after the match still feeling ill   Braintree CC have been informed.

At the moment there are no plans for either team to cancel the fixtures due to be played on Saturday 4th September.  The MSC feels that as both clubs have previous experience of a covid outbreak that they can take all measures with testing and tracing of their members as they deem appropriate.

The MSC, after representations from the two clubs and the panel umpire(s), have decided that the above match shall be treated as a concession by the home team.  The Division Three table has been amended.

Clubs fortunate to have panel umpires are reminded that a match cannot be called off for bad weather before the start time without the permission of any panel umpire.  In matches where no panel umpire(s) are appointed the home team must speak with an official and/or the captain of the visiting team and give them the opportunity to visit the ground before calling a match off.

Regretably the following fixtures today (14/8/21) are cancelled due to Covid outbreaks at various clubs   –  Maldon CC both 1st and 2nd XI,    Braintree CC Ist XI,   Little Bardfield Village CC

During the last few days there have been further positive tests for Covid at the following clubs:

Bardwell CC

Braintree CC

Little Barfield Village CC

Maldon CC

And more at Haverhill CC

At all these clubs the MSC is satisfied that the relevant measures have taken place …… It is significant to point out , however, that in many of the cases reported in the past few weeks the trend seems to indicate that large social gatherings in pubs and clubs seem to have been a contributory factor.

You have been warned ………  No-one is suggesting that you lock yourself away for the foreseeable future as life has to go on but we urge common sense in the short and even medium term …..