Clubs playing in the Mewies Solicitors Craven & District League will no longer be able to supply their own balls.

Any balls used - the Reeder Sovereign, Invicta or Supreme - next year will now be supplied by the league and will all be stamped Craven & District League'.

Also it will be more costly for clubs that fail to provide an umpire for second-team matches. Last year a club would have to pay the umpire who is standing at both ends £17.

Next year that figure has risen to £20, while a club that does provide an umpire will only have to pay him or her £14. If there is no play then each umpire will be paid £8.50.

Any unnecessary delay to the start of a match will be reported to the league secretary by the umpires.

It will also be their duty to sign both scorebooks at the end of a game to confirm that they have agreed to the scores.

It will be the responsibility of captains to denote on the team cards before the start of the match any players who are under 18.

This will make management of any overs restrictions easier for the umpires to administer.

Meanwhile, clubs that fail to respond to requests from the league's ground committee could suffer further action.