Lymington II
Back (from left): Kieran Moors, Jack Roberts, Josh Bowring, Tom Atkins, Brandon Ward, Oliver Kelly.
Front: Ed Freeman, Josh Royan, Billy Quigley, Cameron Robertson, Harry Fisher.
Relegated at the end of the 2016 season, Lymington seconds are back in the Southern Premier League next summer having finished runners-up to Portsmouth & Southsea in County Division One.
Now they want a level playing field to play on in 2018 – meaning a change in the rules so they and the other five second teams in the SPL, can include a young overseas player in their ranks.
The matter looks set to be raised once again at next month’s AGM when Lymington (and associates), not unreasonably, will want their second teams playing under the same match regulations as everyone else.
The proposal for 2018 will, as before, be for second teams to have an Under-21 cricketer in their ranks, who can only turn out for that team.
Current legislation states that the 34 SPL clubs can register only one foreign national each – which means the six second teams being handicapped, effectively with one hand tied behind their backs, when they play other club’s first XIs.
If the rules aren’t changed, Lymington will be unable to play a young Australian against, for example, Fawley, whereas their opponents could (if they decide to sign one) benefit from overseas aid.
Is that a fair and level playing field ?
Lymington have good reason to want the rules changed.
Their overseas player from this summer, 19-year old Billy Quigley from Melbourne, not only had an outstanding season on the field – he made three hundreds in his 777-run aggregate and took 24 wickets – but made an enormous contribution off it.
Lymington two’s captain Oli Kelly pointed out: “Billy did more for the colts, the club and the local community than a number of ex-test/first class/first grade pros.
“He simply wanted to come over and play cricket at the age of 19 – he didn’t think he was a “top drawer” player and happily played in our IIs.
"Billy Quigley will go down as one of the all time great Lymo overseas. Obviously he performed out of his skin on a Saturday but he was also universally popular within the club and spent hundreds of hours coaching the colts.
“Guys like this should not be prohibited from playing in the third and fourth tier of the local league structure.”
* The Premier League rule change Lymington will be supporting is that all 2nd XIs (there are six of them in total) should be able to register a foreign national who is under-21 year of age (ie a sixth-form leaver or gap year student), that player to be solely registered for the club's second team, and to possess such coaching qualifcations as are currently stated in the SPL rules.
Back (from left): Kieran Moors, Jack Roberts, Josh Bowring, Tom Atkins, Brandon Ward, Oliver Kelly.
Front: Ed Freeman, Josh Royan, Billy Quigley, Cameron Robertson, Harry Fisher.
Relegated at the end of the 2016 season, Lymington seconds are back in the Southern Premier League next summer having finished runners-up to Portsmouth & Southsea in County Division One.
Now they want a level playing field to play on in 2018 – meaning a change in the rules so they and the other five second teams in the SPL, can include a young overseas player in their ranks.
The matter looks set to be raised once again at next month’s AGM when Lymington (and associates), not unreasonably, will want their second teams playing under the same match regulations as everyone else.
The proposal for 2018 will, as before, be for second teams to have an Under-21 cricketer in their ranks, who can only turn out for that team.
Current legislation states that the 34 SPL clubs can register only one foreign national each – which means the six second teams being handicapped, effectively with one hand tied behind their backs, when they play other club’s first XIs.
If the rules aren’t changed, Lymington will be unable to play a young Australian against, for example, Fawley, whereas their opponents could (if they decide to sign one) benefit from overseas aid.
Is that a fair and level playing field ?
Lymington have good reason to want the rules changed.
Their overseas player from this summer, 19-year old Billy Quigley from Melbourne, not only had an outstanding season on the field – he made three hundreds in his 777-run aggregate and took 24 wickets – but made an enormous contribution off it.
Lymington two’s captain Oli Kelly pointed out: “Billy did more for the colts, the club and the local community than a number of ex-test/first class/first grade pros.
“He simply wanted to come over and play cricket at the age of 19 – he didn’t think he was a “top drawer” player and happily played in our IIs.
"Billy Quigley will go down as one of the all time great Lymo overseas. Obviously he performed out of his skin on a Saturday but he was also universally popular within the club and spent hundreds of hours coaching the colts.
“Guys like this should not be prohibited from playing in the third and fourth tier of the local league structure.”
* The Premier League rule change Lymington will be supporting is that all 2nd XIs (there are six of them in total) should be able to register a foreign national who is under-21 year of age (ie a sixth-form leaver or gap year student), that player to be solely registered for the club's second team, and to possess such coaching qualifcations as are currently stated in the SPL rules.
