LEADING FLECKNEY VILLAGE CRICKET CLUBS ANNOUNCE NEW SUPER LEAGUE COMPETITION
Four of Fleckney Village’s leading cricket clubs have today come together to announce they have agreed to establish a new cricket competition, the Fleckney Super League (FSL), governed by its Founding Clubs.
Fleckney Village Cricket Club 1s, Fleckney Village Cricket Club 2s, Fleckney Village Cricket Club Sunday XI (the Duckhunters) and the Fleckney Village Cricket Club Midweek XI (The Fleckney Flashers) have all joined as Founding Clubs.
Going forward, the Founding Clubs look forward to holding discussions with the L&RCL and the ECB to work together in partnership to deliver the best outcomes for the new League and for cricket as a whole.
The formation of the Super League comes at a time when the global pandemic has accelerated the instability in the existing cricket economic model. Further, for a number of years, the Founding Clubs have had the objective of improving the quality and intensity of existing cricket in the village throughout each season, and of creating a format for top clubs and players to compete on a regular basis.
The pandemic has shown that a strategic vision and a sustainable commercial approach are required to enhance value and support for the benefit of the entire cricket pyramid. In recent months extensive dialogue has taken place with football stakeholders regarding the future format of cricket competitions. The Founding Clubs believe the solutions proposed following these talks do not solve fundamental issues, including the need to provide higher-quality matches and additional financial resources for the overall football pyramid.
Competition Format
An April start with clubs participating in two groups of two, playing home and away fixtures each week until the end of July, with the top two in each group automatically qualifying for the Semi Finals. A two-leg knockout format will be used to reach the final at the end of August, which will be staged as a single fixture at a neutral venue.
Fleckney Welfare Office Chris Walsh, the first chairman of the FSL, said the new competition would "help Fleckney cricket at every level".
"Cricket is the only sport in the village with more than four fans and our responsibility as big clubs is to respond to their desires," he added.
Fleckney secretary Will Jennings has resigned from the L&RCL executive committee and as chairman of the Pie Chuckers Association of Slightly Rotund Cricketers (PCASRC), which had pushed for League reforms.
He said the 4 clubs had "come together at this critical moment, enabling the cricketing landscape to be transformed, putting the game we love on a sustainable footing for the long-term future".
Fleckney Fixture Secretary, James Sheath will be a vice-chairman of the Fleckney Super League.
He said: "By bringing together the world's greatest clubs and players to play each other throughout the season, the Fleckney Super League will open a new chapter for cricket, ensuring world-class competition and facilities, and increased financial support for the wider village community."
The Fleckney Village Supporters' Trust said the FSL was a "concept driven by avarice and self-interest at the expense of the intrinsic values of the game we hold so dear".
On Saturday 17th April, the FSL trial match took place with a number of stand out performances - Adam Chilton hit a majestic 70, Chris Hill demonstrated that his umpiring skills require a amount of work... Daz Hutchings-Webber and Jimmy Loomes bowled good tight spells. Ben O'Reilly demostrated some big hitting and superb bowling to wrack up 6 "outs" in his 10 overs. Some good sensible batting was demonstrated by most, and a good day was had by all..
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