The ECB Southern Premier League has unveiled a ‘new look’ T20 Blast competition to be played on Sunday afternoons this summer.
The straight knockout format has been scrapped in favour of geographically zoned ‘mini leagues’ with the 28 participating clubs split into east, north, south and west regions.
Each team will play four T20 matches - two at home and two away - with the fixtures to be played over a ten-week period between May 18 and July 27.
Two points will be awarded for a win, with the top two sides in each group qualifying for the quarter-finals, which will revert to a straight knockout.
The quarter-finals are earmarked for August 10, with the semi-finals two Sundays later. The T20 final will be in September 2025.
The ‘mini leagues’ are -
East
Burridge, Fareham & Crofton, Gosport Borough, Havant, Portsmouth, Portsmouth & Southsea, Sarisbury Athletic, Waterlooville.
North
Alton, Andover, Basingstoke & North Hants, Hartley Wintney, Hook & Newnham Basics, Liphook & Ripsley, Odiham & Greywell, Rowledge.
South
Fair Oak, Hursley Park, Old Tauntonians & Romsey, South Wilts, Sparsholt, St Cross Symondians, Trojans, Ventnor.
West
Calmore Sports, Fawley, Langley Manor, Lymington, New Milton, Parley, Sway, Totton & Eling.
Five non entries
Premier Division duo Bashley (Rydal) and Bournemouth, who provide the nucleus of Dorset’s National Counties squad, and the Hampshire Academy, because of ECB competition commitments, have not entered.
Nor have Hambledon or Paultons.
The ‘mini leagues’ have served up some tasty derbies, with Havant set to play neighbours Waterlooville and visit Portsmouth who, in turn, make the short trip to Portsmouth & Southsea.
Arch rivals Basingstoke & North Hants lock horns with Hook & Newnham Basics at May’s Bounty on June 22, while in the west, Lymington face an early banana skin derby with Sway.
* The Southern Premier League’s weather delayed 2024 cup finals are to be played at Totton & Eling’s Southern Gardens ground on Sunday May, the day after the opening round of league matches.
Havant play Totton & Eling in the afternoon after the morning Plate final between Burridge and Fair Oak.
The straight knockout format has been scrapped in favour of geographically zoned ‘mini leagues’ with the 28 participating clubs split into east, north, south and west regions.
Each team will play four T20 matches - two at home and two away - with the fixtures to be played over a ten-week period between May 18 and July 27.
Two points will be awarded for a win, with the top two sides in each group qualifying for the quarter-finals, which will revert to a straight knockout.
The quarter-finals are earmarked for August 10, with the semi-finals two Sundays later. The T20 final will be in September 2025.
The ‘mini leagues’ are -
East
Burridge, Fareham & Crofton, Gosport Borough, Havant, Portsmouth, Portsmouth & Southsea, Sarisbury Athletic, Waterlooville.
North
Alton, Andover, Basingstoke & North Hants, Hartley Wintney, Hook & Newnham Basics, Liphook & Ripsley, Odiham & Greywell, Rowledge.
South
Fair Oak, Hursley Park, Old Tauntonians & Romsey, South Wilts, Sparsholt, St Cross Symondians, Trojans, Ventnor.
West
Calmore Sports, Fawley, Langley Manor, Lymington, New Milton, Parley, Sway, Totton & Eling.
Five non entries
Premier Division duo Bashley (Rydal) and Bournemouth, who provide the nucleus of Dorset’s National Counties squad, and the Hampshire Academy, because of ECB competition commitments, have not entered.
Nor have Hambledon or Paultons.
The ‘mini leagues’ have served up some tasty derbies, with Havant set to play neighbours Waterlooville and visit Portsmouth who, in turn, make the short trip to Portsmouth & Southsea.
Arch rivals Basingstoke & North Hants lock horns with Hook & Newnham Basics at May’s Bounty on June 22, while in the west, Lymington face an early banana skin derby with Sway.
* The Southern Premier League’s weather delayed 2024 cup finals are to be played at Totton & Eling’s Southern Gardens ground on Sunday May, the day after the opening round of league matches.
Havant play Totton & Eling in the afternoon after the morning Plate final between Burridge and Fair Oak.
