Dorset Cricket Board

Next summer will see a restructuring of the Wessex Internet Dorset Cricket League following England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) approval to become the thirty-second ‘ECB Premier League’ in the country. This comes after several years of consultation and planning with ECB and aims to improve standards both on and off the field. Clubs need to attain certain levels in a range of criteria focussed on ground facilities and future sustainability in order for their first team to compete in the top divisions. All clubs will continue to be accommodated though as the structure remains an ‘all-through’ league where teams can gain promotion based on performance, although facilities will also be taken into account the higher a team progresses.

The new structure will initially see a reduction in the number of teams in the top two divisions because of the criteria set, but it is hoped that the process of returning towards ten team divisions will begin in 2026, when clubs have had more time to attain the necessary standards.

The move reflects an acceptance that for many years now, aspirational young players in the county have moved on to clubs in other leagues, as well as some clubs themselves playing ‘out of county’, particularly in the Hampshire and Southern Leagues, the latter of which is already an approved ECB Premier League. In the long-term it’s hoped that a greater number the majority of players in the county team will be playing in the Dorset League.

Cricket Dorset Ltd Managing Director, Ben Skipworth said “This is a massively exciting development in the grassroots game and should provide a highly competitive environment for our best club players to thrive. It is a testament to the efforts of the committee, especially Alan Graham, to finally realise this level of league being in place in the county.“

DCL Chairman, Peter Constable, expressed his satisfaction with the approval. “I’m really pleased that Dorset has finally been accredited with being an ECB Premier League after many years of hard work, not just by members of the management committee but also member clubs in raising the standard of facilities, grounds and playing strength to get to the level required by the ECB.  We understand there will be some upheaval initially but hope this will soon be behind us as the whole league structure settles down in future seasons.”

Acknowledging that the new status focusses very much on the top divsions, he is also conscious that the league must continue to provide for all clubs, stating, “It is vital that we don’t forget the smaller clubs with teams in the lower divisions, as they are pivotal to the survival of cricket in the county and gives all players, whatever their age or ability a place to play.”

Jez Allman, Chief Commercial Officer at Wessex Internet, said: “We would like to congratulate the Wessex Internet Dorset Cricket League for this significant and exciting news. An achievement of this nature is due to the hard work and commitment of the committee that allows cricket to be enjoyed by so many people throughout Dorset. As a company, Wessex Internet strives to improve the lives of people in rural Dorset. This achievement aligns our ambitions as clubs across the county will have the ability to retain young talented players within the league structure, allowing Dorset Cricket to go from strength to strength.”