Clubs divided over expanded top flight for domestic cricket

AS the ICC continues to face a backlash in the wake of its decision to reduce the World Cup to ten teams, Scottish cricket is wrestling with its own numbers game.

In contrast to the global goings-on, though, officials here have taken the contrary step of opening the doors of its most prestigious tournament to a further six sides.

Consequently, when a new SNCL season bowls into action on Saturday, the three ten-team divisions of recent times will be replaced by two expanded leagues, a 16-team Premiership and a Championship which was also scheduled to contain 16 teams until the recent expulsion of Edinburgh CC, who have no suitable ground.

Reconstruction followed a vote by member clubs who were offered the carrot of a grant of up to 3,000 towards the hire of a qualified coach.

While 17 of this season's 31 competing clubs will benefit under the cash-for-coaches innovation, support for the new order is by no means universal.

Indeed, it is difficult to find many players among the country's leading clubs who are in favour. One-sided fixtures and a dilution in standards are the main criticisms, while there is also widespread concern that a split after 15 games into four groups will result in many meaningless fixtures.

Even Fraser Burnett, the captain of an Arbroath team who will be competing in the top flight for the first time, said: "Our club voted in favour of the change because it gave us a better chance of promotion last season. As things turned out we won the first division last season and would have gone up in any case. But, although there is obviously a lot of enthusiasm about taking part at the highest level of the domestic game, I also wonder if the top division hasn't been expanded too much.

"There is going to be a wide range of standards and that could result in a number of one-sided games but we are delighted to be a part of it."

Sanjay Patel, who captained Grange to the premier division title last season, is another critic of the new order.

"I've always said 16 teams is too many," said Patel. "I don't see why they would want to dilute the standards but that is surely what is going to happen.

"Then you have the final three games of the season and, if you are not in the top four or the bottom four, there is going to be no interest. Obviously we hope to be in the top four and, in fairness, there could be some really good games to settle the title.

"I understand there will be a review at the end of the season so maybe this will prove to be a short-term thing."

Neil MacRae, whose Aberdeenshire side won the league and cup double two seasons ago, added: "I think we've had a really competitive league for the last few seasons with a genuine top ten.Any team has been capable of beating any other but I'm not sure you'll be able to say that now."

However, there is support for the new set-up from Stoneywood-Dyce, one of the beneficiaries of reconstruction.

Their president Alan Barron explained: "We were originally in favour of reverting to regional leagues but, when there was no support for that idea, we went wholeheartedly for the 16-team set-up.

"Some of the teams who were playing in the first division last season will prove they have enough talent to compete and perhaps cause a few surprises.

"We haven't set ourselves any targets but we are happy to be where we are."

Given the concerns that exist over the possibility of one-sided matches, all eyes will next week be focused on New Williamfield where Stirling - last season's 16th-ranked team - entertain reigning champions Grange.

Burnett's Arbroath side might cause an upset at home to Uddingston while the only other top-flight debutants, Drumpellier, can give Dunfermline a run for their money.

The Premiership sides

ABERDEENSHIRE

Capt: Neil MacRae. Pro: Gerrie Strydom (SA). Prediction: 4th

ARBROATH

Capt: Fraser Burnett. Pro: Harsha Vithana (SL). Prediction: 9th

AYR

Capt: Mark Renny. Pro: Michael Papps (NZ). Prediction: 14th

CARLTON

Capt: Fraser Watts. Pro: None. Prediction: 2nd

CLYDESDALE

Capt: Kasim Farid. Pro: Nazar Hussain (Pak). Prediction: 8th

DUNFERMLINE

Capt: Gowtham Rai. Pro: TBA. Prediction: 7th

DRUMPELLIER

Capt: Graeme McLaren. Pro: Jeevantha Kulatunga (SL). Prediction: 16th

FORFARSHIRE

Capt: Ryan Watson. Pro: Ryan Watson (Scot). Prediction: 5th

GRANGE

Capt: Sanjay Patel. Pro: Warren McSkimming (NZ). Prediction: 1st

GREENOCK

Capt: Ryan Begley. Pro: Luke Butterworth (Aus). Prediction: 10th

HERIOT'S

Capt: Steve Knox. Pro: Adam Lockhart-Krause (Aus) Prediction: 11th

STIRLING

Capt: Phil Rees. Pro: TBA.Prediction: 15th

STONEYWOOD-DYCE

Capt: George Ninan. Pro: Jan Stander (Scot). Prediction: 13th

UDDINGSTON

Capt: Ricky Bawa. Pro: Ras Pryadarshana (SL). Prediction: 6th

WATSONIANS

Captain: Craig Wright. Pro: Tim Weston (NZ). Prediction: 3rd

WEST OF SCOTLAND

Capt: Ian Young. Pro: Colin de Grandhomme (NZ). Prediction: 12th