KEIGHLEY have been voted into membership of the ENCO Halifax League, after creating a new team.
The vote, announced at the league’s annual meeting at Pellon Social Club, was 33-1 in favour so they will play in the Sunday Section next season.
The Lawkholme Lane club, who also have a third XI playing on Saturdays in the Timothy Taylor’s Craven League, made a presentation to Halifax League members at an earlier meeting at the same venue.
Two more presentations were made at the league’s more recent annual meeting to join the Sunday Section, by Huddersfield League clubs Armitage Bridge and Moorlands.
Their admission will be confirmed or otherwise by an electronic vote, with the result being announced before Christmas.
As for the Saturday fixtures, Halifax League secretary Tim Helliwell confirmed that 12 teams will play in the Premier Division, 11 in the First Division and 10 in the Second Division, with the fixtures due out in January.
The upshot of this is that four teams have been promoted into the second tier, with Cullingworth joining Oakworth, Sowerby St Peter's and Stones in going up.
Their season will start on April 26 - one week later than normal - due to Easter Saturday falling on April 19, also taking into account the recent wet weather in April.
All eight proposed rule changes were passed by a hefty majority, including that the league executive committee will carry out an assessment of each club’s ground, equipment and administration every three to five years.
Punishment for failing to meet the required standards will be a ground suspension until the relevant work has been completed, which will also mean that any scheduled matches in that period will automatically be forfeited.
All matches will be scored electronically from next season, and if a vacancy arises in either the Premier Division or First Division, then the club finishing second from bottom in that division will not be relegated.
In T20 matches, the powerplay shall take place in overs one to six in every innings, with a reduction pro rata if matches are not scheduled over the full distance.
Nearly all of the league officials were re-elected.
However, Peter Butterfield did not seek re-election as the Halifax Cricket League’s ACO (Association of Cricket Officials) officer and will be replaced by Wayne Shirt.
Luke Brooksby has been added as social media officer.
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