Following their meeting on June 25, 2012, the Board of Cricket Wellington can announce the following have been approved Premier Status for the 2012-13 season:

• Hutt District
• Hutt-City (comprising Naenae Old Boys, Stokes Valley and Te Aroha)
• North City
• Onslow
• Petone-Eastbourne
• Karori

These clubs are in addition to the seven that were approved at the previous Board Meeting of 5 June, 2012, and brings the total involved in the Premier Grade to 13 for the coming season.  The Board wishes to thank the clubs for their efforts over the past twelve months and notes that all 13 have made significant strides forward during this process. 

Board Chairman, Peter Garty points to the improved governance and growth of junior programmes at our clubs as examples of the new structure already being a success without a ball being bowled: “We’ve been really impressed by what’s happening at our clubs and the commitment  they’ve shown to making this process work.  For example, within a year Taita and  University have established junior sections, and Naenae Old Boys, Stokes Valley and Te Aroha have come together for a common purpose.”

Cricket Wellington believes that all clubs approved have equal claim for inclusion and that it represents a good result for cricket in the community.

With 13 clubs now being finalised in the competition, the next step is to determine the competition format (covering Premier and Premier Reserve) for 2012-13.  Based on 13 teams, Cricket Wellington has developed several competition models which will be reviewed by the Senior Advisory Group in mid July.  This is with a view to announcing all grade formats (Senior, Women’s and Juniors) on 1August 2012.

In terms of the Premier Grade, these draft formats include the following key aspects, which are likely to appear in the final version: 

• Separation of the three playing formats 
  
• Inclusion of the CW Under 20s as the 14^th team for the One-Day competition (games to be played on Sundays)
  
• Pool play used in the One-Day Competition
  
• One-Day competition to determine rankings for the Two-Day competition
  
• Two-Day competition to comprise a top six and bottom eight
• Top placed Reserve Grade team (after the One-Day competition) will be promoted for the Premier Two-Day competition (replacing the Under 20s as the 14^th team)
• Twenty20 cricket to be played as a ‘standalone’ competition for the Premier Grade only, with a mixture of Saturday and mid-week games

While 13 teams presents a challenge for the draw, Cricket Wellington believes the draft competition format provides a good competition which balances the varying needs of our stakeholders  and in fact offers many advantages over the previous format.  The resultant advantages identified in the new format include:   Minimal Sunday play required

• No Byes throughout the season
  
• Teams of comparable strength play each other more often
• Meaningful cricket throughout the seaso
• Strengthened High Performance Pathway with inclusion of the Under 20s