BOWLERS will be restricted for the first time on the number of overs they deliver in the Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship next season.Clubs voted 39-9 in favour of a proposal by Maldon at the annual meeting, held at Ransomes Sports and Social Club in Ipswich, that no bowler will be allowed to bowl more than one third of the overs available at the start of an innings.

BOWLERS will be restricted for the first time on the number of overs they deliver in the Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship next season.

Clubs voted 39-9 in favour of a proposal by Maldon at the annual meeting, held at Ransomes Sports and Social Club in Ipswich, that no bowler will be allowed to bowl more than one third of the overs available at the start of an innings.

However, a motion put forward by Tuddenham that this figure be increased to no more than one quarter was defeated 28-20.

These votes were taken after the meeting passed a proposal that instead of requiring a two-thirds majority to push anything through, a majority vote will now suffice.

Chairman Norman Atkins, in his annual report, said: “Although it was the wettest summer for many years, it was disappointing that there were still allegations, especially in the final weeks of the season, of some clubs calling matches off when, in the opinion of others, conditions were in fact fit for play.”

A proposal by the management committee that league points be decided by points gained (rather than by average at present) and that each club will receive six points for a rained off match, or six points plus bonus points gained at the time of abandonment, was subsequently lost 31-16.

Atkins also reported that for the first time last season there had been incidents of two sides refusing to play during the course of matches, and that both results were declared as a loss by the side refusing to play in accordance with the Laws of Cricket.

He said: “The fact that there may have been a genuine grievance is not sufficient to declare any other result. If that were the case it would open the floodgates for all sorts of allegations and more matches being decided in committee and not on the field of play.”

Atkins said that as a result of these two incidents, and others, the disciplinary sub-committee was called into action for the first time for several years.

Former members Eye & District were readmitted along with newcomers Felixstowe Corinthians. Both clubs told the meeting that they intended to join the Two Counties instead of the Suffolk Premier League and they will start in Division Nine next season.

An application from Tendring, who were not represented, was turned down.

The meeting was told that next season Divisions One to Eight will feature 10 teams each and Division Nine will now have 12 teams.

The meeting agreed that both Dunmow and Worlington should be fined for failing to attend, with Dunmow receiving a higher penalty as they had failed to attend a previous AGM.

A minute's silence was held at the start of the meeting in memory of Hazel Noyce, wife of league president Ron Noyce, and Bob Pratt, the scorer of Copdock & Old Ipswichians, who both recently passed away. All officers were re-appointed with the addition of Andrew Barnes to the new position of assistant treasurer to aid treasurer John Bradley.

Election of officers was as follows: President - Ron Noyce; chairman - Norman Atkins; secretary - Gill Denny; assistant secretary - Alan Rogers; treasurer - John Bradley; assistant treasurer - Andrew Barnes; fixture secretary/statistics secretary - Mel Phair; management sub-committee - Tom Gould (Braintree, Pat Patel (Frinton), Rick Jones (Copdock & OI), Martin White (St Margaret's).