More changes in store for Wellington club cricket

Wellington club cricket may be about to undergo another significant revamp.

A working paper is being prepared for Cricket Wellington (CW) on the possible introduction of District Cricket for the season of 2001/02.

The number of senior clubs could be cut to eight, four each representing districts in Hutt Valley and Wellington.

Wellington has had a combined inter-city competition between Hutt Valley and Wellington since 1995-96 with two sections, a top tier of eight teams playing for the Pearce Cup and a bottom tier of six playing for the Hazlett Trophy.

Last year a re-shaping of administration in the region was agreed and the first anniversary of that is due to be completed with Wellington's annual general meeting on Wednesday, September 6.

CW executive director Ervin McSweeney confirmed to CricInfo today that a paper was being prepared for the CW board on the matter of district cricket.

"There has been talk of such a scheme around for some time. A number of clubs are keen on the suggestion and we thought there was some merit at looking into it," he said.

"What we have to do is gather enough information to see whether there are enough senior cricketers in Wellington to support 14 teams.

"One of the major driving forces behind such a scheme is our core resource of coaches and quality facilities.

"Our aim is to let the clubs know before this season starts if it [district cricket] will be in place for next season," he said.

There would be a need to work out the requirements of such a scheme but by making a decision in principle WC could then work out the small print.

Wellington is ideally suited to the implementation of district play. Some clubs have already done the process. Kilbirnie and Midland St Pats combined to form Eastern Suburbs. Tawa and Paremata-Plimmerton combined to form North City.

If University and Wellington Collegians were to combine, their clubs are only half a mile apart, that would leave a Wellington district incorporating Karori, Onslow and Johnsonville.

In the Hutt, Stokes Valley and Upper Hutt are logical partners, as are Taita and Naenae. Hutt District could decide to go with Wainuiomata or Eastbourne, while Petone Riverside could look at similar combinations.

By deciding on geographic districts, CW would then be left with an automatic structure in place to have the district sides form liaisons with schools in their regions for administrative and coaching reasons.

Such groupings may well be a forerunner of recommendations of a working party due to hand down its report to New Zealand Cricket in time for its October annual general meeting.