THE ECB Southern Premier Cricket League annual general meeting is at Totton & Eling on Wednesdav evening at 7pm. The Management Committee report reads:
The Management Committee would like to congratulate everyone on making the season so successful. We can continue to be proud about the level of cricket on display throughout our league. From a weather perspective, quite a bit of rain in early months of 2025 followed by a long period of hot weather made things extremely tricky, but credit is due to all the ground staff that worked many hours to ensure cricket was played as much as possible.
The SPCL celebrated its 25-year anniversary in 2025 and had scheduled a representative game vs the MCC. Sadly, terrible rain on the day put a stop to any prospect of play, but we were able to enjoy lunch which included a good chance to catch up with some of our players and indeed those previous committee members who have worked so hard over the years to make the SPCL what it is today.
Many congratulations go to all the winners of their respective competitions during the 2025 season, namely:
♦ Premier Division Overall - St Cross Symondians
♦ Time Pennant - Alton
♦ 50 Over Pennant - St Cross Symondians
♦ Division One - Sarisbury Athletic
♦ Division Two - Calmore Sports
♦ Division Three - Parley
As part of our ongoing commitment to listen to your feedback and to try different things, the SPCL T20 competition took on a new format, using a group system for 2025. St Cross Symondians were eventually crowned the winners. While the format was received with mixed reviews, we feel that we are likely to try a similar format in 2026, subject to entries and umpire availability.
The Disciplinary team had to handle 18 incidents, which was the same number of cases as of the 2024 season. This is an area that needs ongoing focus and creative thinking. To that end, you will see in the AGM paperwork, a proposal relating to low fair play marks that we will be put to the vote in attempt to further address our concerns relating to behaviour.
One rather large administrative breach consumed the time and attention of the management committee in the later part of the season and as such there is still one matter outstanding which requires a decision to be made. This does provide an excellent opportunity to encourage clubs and players not to be too lateral with their interpretation of the spirit of cricket or indeed the spirit of our own rules and regulations.
Annual Dinner
In October, we welcomed players, officials and guests to The Novotel in Southampton for our annual presentation awards dinner. With the ever-increasing costs of speakers and looking at those available in our price range, the League opted to go without a speaker this year. With this in mind, we were also able to reduce the cost of tickets to clubs. We are pleased to report no negative comments were received, and it felt like more people stayed to socialise more post awards.
Congratulations are due to all the individual winners including batters, bowlers and wicket keepers across all four divisions who all put in some impressive performances during the 2025 season.
The very special Tony Baker Award for the Unsung Hero of the SPCL was awarded to Paulton Cricket Club Chairman, Mark Lamb. The award was given in recognition for his long and distinguished service to the club especially following the arson attack – a very worthy winner indeed.
Ground, facilities & Youth – League Accreditation
The Chairman of Ground Accreditation remains vacant, so please, if you are interested in the role or know someone who could be, then please do speak with Steve Vear.
In the absence of a chair of accreditation, the accreditation report was created administratively by me with the help of Stephen G Jones. It was presented to the Management Committee where it was unanimously adopted.
Congratulations must be given to both Bashley Rydal awarded the GEORGE WINKLES MEMORIAL AWARD for Ground of the Year and to St Cross Symondians who are awarded the PAUL THOMPSON MEMORIAL TROPHY for the Most Improved Ground.
The accreditation report is provided separately as part of the AGM paperwork, but we would like to
highlight the following –
♦ Basingstoke & North Hants CC move straight to a 2nd warning for their outfield
♦Trojans CC move straight to a 2nd warning for their pitch and a 1st warning for their outfield
♦ First outfield warnings have been given to Rowledge & Sarisbury Athletic
♦ New Milton CC and OT’s & Romsey move to a 3rd and final warning for their pitch
♦ Lymington receive a 3rd and final warning for their pitch whilst retaining a 1st outfield warning
♦ St Cross Symondians have their 2 pitch warnings rescinded
♦ Bournemouth CC have their 1st warning removed
♦ Langley Manor have their 3rd and final rescinded with a 2nd warning retained
♦ South Wilts have their 2nd pitch warning reduced to a 1st pitch warning
♦ Burridge retain their 2nd pitch warning
All clubs were issued their pitch, and outfield marks after each home match which we hope helped to monitor progress.
Promotions and Relegations
In accepting the recommendations contained within the Accreditation Report, the Management Committee confirm the following promotions and relegations that, subject to your adoption of
this report, will take effect for the 2026 season.
♦ Sarisbury Athletic are promoted into the Premier Division with Basingstoke & North Hants being relegated to Division 1.
♦ Calmore Sports & Langley Manor being promoted into Division 1 with Waterlooville and Hook & Newnham Basics relegated to Division 2.
♦ Parley and Sparsholt being promoted into Division 2 with Hartley Wintney & Trojans relegated to Division 3.
♦ Paultons and Gosport Borough are demoted into Hampshire League Division 1.
♦ We welcome for the first time, Ferndown Wayfarers and welcome back Sarisbury Athletic 2nd XI into Division 3 having secured promotion from the Hampshire League.
2026 Management Committee
We are delighted to confirm that all the current officers and members of the SPCL Management Committee have agreed to continue to serve you in the 2026 season. At the recent committee day, our Treasurer Duncan Forbes informed the committee that he will be looking to leave his post in 2 year’s time. We would therefore be keen to hear from any appropriately skilled and motivated individual who would like to be considered to succeed Duncan.
In an attempt to increase the level of player representation on our team, we will be offering 1 club from each division the opportunity to reduce their annual subscription by 50%, by an SPCL player member of your club joining the team, subject to minimum attendance requirements. We very much hope that this will encourage a few people to step forward and play their part in the ongoing success of the SPCL.
Acknowledgments
On behalf of the management committee, we would like to thank all those who give up their time
to ensure 440 players can compete every week for 4 months of the English “summer”.
Particular thanks must go to Steve Vear, who no matter the huge number of years of service to the Southern Premier Cricket League, still flawlessly guides the committee through the peaks and troughs of running a truly fantastic premier league. We do not wish to push our luck, so please, let’s all make 2026 an issue free season!
We’d like to acknowledge the South Coast Panel of Cricketing Officials for their dedication of standing for 100 or even 120 overs each week. They do put up with some disgruntled players, so
hopefully these proposed increased penalties are voted in and give them some extra much
needed support.
Closing Note from Chairman
I will never apologise for repeating time and time again my enormous gratitude for every single member of the SPCL Management Committee for their many hours of constructive, professional, and indispensable service they put into giving our member clubs a league to be proud of. I thank each and every one of them, on behalf of you, for all the work they do.
While we always try and limit the number of rule changes we propose each year, you will see from the other paperwork that there are several items which require your review and vote. It is vital that each club arrives at the AGM having discussed these proposals with your club, together with the authorisation from your own committee on how to play the vote on the clubs’ behalf.
While I do not wish to duplicate the explanations on the proposals, I would just like to highlight a few of them.
Start times
The SPCL Premier Division Chairman and Players asked for several changes to be made to the Premier Division. This has included removing the need to provide 2 meals during time games and changing all games in the Premier Division to 11am starts.
We are therefore giving the same opportunity to other divisions to also change the start time to 11am. This will be a ‘rolling motion’ much like with coloured clothing a few years ago. We will start with each division in turn and only continue to the next as each division vote to accept the changes.
Should a low fair play mark be received without there being a disciplinary report we are asking for your agreement to administratively apply a point deduction.
It has been a huge disappointment to see the rule around scoring provision being challenged for the first time in in our memories and therefore we look to strengthen our ability to take appropriate action.
Thank you for making me proud to be the Chairman of this wonderful organisation.
Yours in cricket
Steve Vear MBE
League Chairman
The Management Committee would like to congratulate everyone on making the season so successful. We can continue to be proud about the level of cricket on display throughout our league. From a weather perspective, quite a bit of rain in early months of 2025 followed by a long period of hot weather made things extremely tricky, but credit is due to all the ground staff that worked many hours to ensure cricket was played as much as possible.
The SPCL celebrated its 25-year anniversary in 2025 and had scheduled a representative game vs the MCC. Sadly, terrible rain on the day put a stop to any prospect of play, but we were able to enjoy lunch which included a good chance to catch up with some of our players and indeed those previous committee members who have worked so hard over the years to make the SPCL what it is today.
Many congratulations go to all the winners of their respective competitions during the 2025 season, namely:
♦ Premier Division Overall - St Cross Symondians
♦ Time Pennant - Alton
♦ 50 Over Pennant - St Cross Symondians
♦ Division One - Sarisbury Athletic
♦ Division Two - Calmore Sports
♦ Division Three - Parley
As part of our ongoing commitment to listen to your feedback and to try different things, the SPCL T20 competition took on a new format, using a group system for 2025. St Cross Symondians were eventually crowned the winners. While the format was received with mixed reviews, we feel that we are likely to try a similar format in 2026, subject to entries and umpire availability.
The Disciplinary team had to handle 18 incidents, which was the same number of cases as of the 2024 season. This is an area that needs ongoing focus and creative thinking. To that end, you will see in the AGM paperwork, a proposal relating to low fair play marks that we will be put to the vote in attempt to further address our concerns relating to behaviour.
One rather large administrative breach consumed the time and attention of the management committee in the later part of the season and as such there is still one matter outstanding which requires a decision to be made. This does provide an excellent opportunity to encourage clubs and players not to be too lateral with their interpretation of the spirit of cricket or indeed the spirit of our own rules and regulations.
Annual Dinner
In October, we welcomed players, officials and guests to The Novotel in Southampton for our annual presentation awards dinner. With the ever-increasing costs of speakers and looking at those available in our price range, the League opted to go without a speaker this year. With this in mind, we were also able to reduce the cost of tickets to clubs. We are pleased to report no negative comments were received, and it felt like more people stayed to socialise more post awards.
Congratulations are due to all the individual winners including batters, bowlers and wicket keepers across all four divisions who all put in some impressive performances during the 2025 season.
The very special Tony Baker Award for the Unsung Hero of the SPCL was awarded to Paulton Cricket Club Chairman, Mark Lamb. The award was given in recognition for his long and distinguished service to the club especially following the arson attack – a very worthy winner indeed.
Ground, facilities & Youth – League Accreditation
The Chairman of Ground Accreditation remains vacant, so please, if you are interested in the role or know someone who could be, then please do speak with Steve Vear.
In the absence of a chair of accreditation, the accreditation report was created administratively by me with the help of Stephen G Jones. It was presented to the Management Committee where it was unanimously adopted.
Congratulations must be given to both Bashley Rydal awarded the GEORGE WINKLES MEMORIAL AWARD for Ground of the Year and to St Cross Symondians who are awarded the PAUL THOMPSON MEMORIAL TROPHY for the Most Improved Ground.
The accreditation report is provided separately as part of the AGM paperwork, but we would like to
highlight the following –
♦ Basingstoke & North Hants CC move straight to a 2nd warning for their outfield
♦Trojans CC move straight to a 2nd warning for their pitch and a 1st warning for their outfield
♦ First outfield warnings have been given to Rowledge & Sarisbury Athletic
♦ New Milton CC and OT’s & Romsey move to a 3rd and final warning for their pitch
♦ Lymington receive a 3rd and final warning for their pitch whilst retaining a 1st outfield warning
♦ St Cross Symondians have their 2 pitch warnings rescinded
♦ Bournemouth CC have their 1st warning removed
♦ Langley Manor have their 3rd and final rescinded with a 2nd warning retained
♦ South Wilts have their 2nd pitch warning reduced to a 1st pitch warning
♦ Burridge retain their 2nd pitch warning
All clubs were issued their pitch, and outfield marks after each home match which we hope helped to monitor progress.
Promotions and Relegations
In accepting the recommendations contained within the Accreditation Report, the Management Committee confirm the following promotions and relegations that, subject to your adoption of
this report, will take effect for the 2026 season.
♦ Sarisbury Athletic are promoted into the Premier Division with Basingstoke & North Hants being relegated to Division 1.
♦ Calmore Sports & Langley Manor being promoted into Division 1 with Waterlooville and Hook & Newnham Basics relegated to Division 2.
♦ Parley and Sparsholt being promoted into Division 2 with Hartley Wintney & Trojans relegated to Division 3.
♦ Paultons and Gosport Borough are demoted into Hampshire League Division 1.
♦ We welcome for the first time, Ferndown Wayfarers and welcome back Sarisbury Athletic 2nd XI into Division 3 having secured promotion from the Hampshire League.
2026 Management Committee
We are delighted to confirm that all the current officers and members of the SPCL Management Committee have agreed to continue to serve you in the 2026 season. At the recent committee day, our Treasurer Duncan Forbes informed the committee that he will be looking to leave his post in 2 year’s time. We would therefore be keen to hear from any appropriately skilled and motivated individual who would like to be considered to succeed Duncan.
In an attempt to increase the level of player representation on our team, we will be offering 1 club from each division the opportunity to reduce their annual subscription by 50%, by an SPCL player member of your club joining the team, subject to minimum attendance requirements. We very much hope that this will encourage a few people to step forward and play their part in the ongoing success of the SPCL.
Acknowledgments
On behalf of the management committee, we would like to thank all those who give up their time
to ensure 440 players can compete every week for 4 months of the English “summer”.
Particular thanks must go to Steve Vear, who no matter the huge number of years of service to the Southern Premier Cricket League, still flawlessly guides the committee through the peaks and troughs of running a truly fantastic premier league. We do not wish to push our luck, so please, let’s all make 2026 an issue free season!
We’d like to acknowledge the South Coast Panel of Cricketing Officials for their dedication of standing for 100 or even 120 overs each week. They do put up with some disgruntled players, so
hopefully these proposed increased penalties are voted in and give them some extra much
needed support.
Closing Note from Chairman
I will never apologise for repeating time and time again my enormous gratitude for every single member of the SPCL Management Committee for their many hours of constructive, professional, and indispensable service they put into giving our member clubs a league to be proud of. I thank each and every one of them, on behalf of you, for all the work they do.
While we always try and limit the number of rule changes we propose each year, you will see from the other paperwork that there are several items which require your review and vote. It is vital that each club arrives at the AGM having discussed these proposals with your club, together with the authorisation from your own committee on how to play the vote on the clubs’ behalf.
While I do not wish to duplicate the explanations on the proposals, I would just like to highlight a few of them.
Start times
The SPCL Premier Division Chairman and Players asked for several changes to be made to the Premier Division. This has included removing the need to provide 2 meals during time games and changing all games in the Premier Division to 11am starts.
We are therefore giving the same opportunity to other divisions to also change the start time to 11am. This will be a ‘rolling motion’ much like with coloured clothing a few years ago. We will start with each division in turn and only continue to the next as each division vote to accept the changes.
Should a low fair play mark be received without there being a disciplinary report we are asking for your agreement to administratively apply a point deduction.
It has been a huge disappointment to see the rule around scoring provision being challenged for the first time in in our memories and therefore we look to strengthen our ability to take appropriate action.
Thank you for making me proud to be the Chairman of this wonderful organisation.
Yours in cricket
Steve Vear MBE
League Chairman
