SECRETARY Ann Coe has warned the Mewies Solicitors Craven League that they must change if they want to survive.

Among the potential solutions in her annual report are the league supporting clubs more and clubs supporting each other more, such as loaning players, in a bid to ward off clubs going to the wall.

She said: "I know we don't like change in this league and we like things just as they are.

"But we have to change if we want to survive. We need to look around us and see what is happening in other leagues.

"Clubs are folding, and recently the T& A reported that the Dales Council League is in trouble.

"What’s to stop it being us in a couple of years' time?

"Some of our clubs are struggling now to turn out second teams, and instead of wondering what we can do to help, we just moan because their opponents miss out on a game.

"The league needs to do more to support clubs and the clubs need to do more to support each other.

"Gone are the days when a club can sit back and think it won’t happen to them.

"Be realistic, if your opposition goes or the standard of cricket falls . . . your players will also lose interest.

"Why not start thinking of new initiatives to keep people interested in cricket?

"What's wrong with loaning players, or anything else for that matter that allows us to be here for many more years to come?"

Mrs Coe read out her speech before clubs opted not to go ahead with a loan system.

The vote was 13-11 in favour but it did not get the required two-thirds majority.

Mrs Coe also touched upon the great changes that are occurring in Yorkshire cricket at the moment.

She added: "Talks are taking place between the senior leagues to try and start a pyramid system, with relegation and promotion opportunities for clubs to move between leagues.

"The Bradford League are voting on whether to go for Premier League status, with help from the ECB.

"The pyramid system clearly won’t affect us straight away – even if it does happen, our place is well down the pecking order, and if we don’t want to join in we don’t have to.

"But we still need to know the talks are taking place. Leagues in Yorkshire are beginning to speak to each other – something that has never been considered before.

"The ECB and YCB have been hosting meetings with the top ten premier leagues, and are now extending this process to include grass-roots leagues, and we have been included in the process.

"It’s all early days but the ECB-YCB have started to talk and listen to what we the leagues and you the clubs want from them.

"There has to be a cricket product that suits everyone, and we are tasked with finding it."

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