Cricket leagues cancel first half of season

The ECB Yorkshire South Premier League, South Yorkshire Senior Cricket League and Pontefract & District Cricket League have all cancelled the first half of the season due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Doncaster Town won last season's ECB Yorkshire South Premier LeagueDoncaster Town won last season's ECB Yorkshire South Premier League
Doncaster Town won last season's ECB Yorkshire South Premier League

Reigning champions Doncaster Town had been scheduled to begin the defence of their YSPL crown on April 18.

Instead the YSPL will attempt to start a league programme on June 28, the SYSCL on July 4 and the PDCL on July 4 – with teams playing each other once rather than twice.

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The YSPL and SYSCL said in a joint statement that if the start date needed to be pushed back again it would be unlikely that any meaningful league competition would be possible but they would try to organise t20 and cup games.

“We will continue to monitor the situation, and if it is possible to play earlier than these dates, we will arrange for t20 or friendly matches to be played, or both, giving clubs as much notice as possible,” read the statement.

“If the start has to be put back by more than a couple of weeks after these dates, it is unlikely that we will be able to play any meaningful league competitions, but we will look to play t20 and cup competitions if at all possible. In either case, we will provide an update by the end of April.

“We are currently considering and consulting on the issue of promotion and relegation in the event of reduced league programme being played, and will make a further announcement on that in due course.”

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The leagues have strongly advised clubs not to proceed with the engagement of overseas players for this season.

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