Three-time defending cricket kings, Sagicor UWI, will have a smaller pool of players from which to choose for the 2012 domestic season.
In one of several rule changes for the season starting on May 5, the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) is stipulating that teams which represent UWI must consist entirely of bona fide students who are enrolled at the Cave Hill Campus of the University of the West Indies or the Open Campus in Barbados.
Additionally, the students must be pursuing a graduate or undergraduate course of study leading to a degree, diploma or certificate.
Students of Barbados Community College, Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic and other tertiary institutions will not be eligible to represent UWI.
However, UWI manager,?Steven Leslie, does not agree with the rule change and wants a review.
“This will impact on our set-up because the pool has been reduced,” he told MIDWEEK SPORT yesterday.
“The avenue previously afforded young Barbadian players attending tertiary institutions is no longer an avenue and I would sincerely urge the BCA to review this rule.”
UWI will have to provide to the BCA proof of registration and attendance at the campus for any student who is expected to play and no more than two employees will be allowed to represent the university in any match.
Since their entry to the top league in 2006, UWI have enjoyed a string of successes, including their capture of the Division 1 title in the preceding three seasons.
The major changes were outlined by BCA officials during a Press conference at Kensington Oval yesterday.
One of the other developments is the renaming of the Division 1 competition to the Elite division which BCA cricket operations manager, Rollins Howard, described as a “cosmetic change more than a functional change”.
The name change follows three seasons of a promotion-demotion system that has resulted in the top division being reduced from 16 teams to ten.
“The elite should be the cream of the crop,” Howard said. “It is hoped that with fewer places in that division, the level of competition will rise.
“The promotion and relegation [system] has also put six teams in the new [Division 1].
“The competition in that division should be a lot keener than what we [had] before. Teams are now struggling to get back into the top flight.
“Although teams have been relegated, there is a desire to get back up. Teams have retained the majority of the players and are doing their best to get their clubs back up to the top division. We want to see it become a real elite division.”
While the Elite division will be limited to ten teams, the Sagicor General Cup and Twenty20 competitions, which were previously restricted to teams [from the] top division, will also include sides from Division 1, bringing the number of competing teams to 18.
In previous seasons, the BCA supplied balls for matches but this year clubs can provide their own balls once they are Grade “A” balls and weigh five and a half ounces.
Another change centres on the use of covers throughout the lower divisions. For the Intermediate, Division 2 and schools competitions, any team which has covers will be able to use them in any match.
The pitch must be covered for the duration of the match and any team which fails to do so will forfeit the match.
