Financial backing for new EL

JUST weeks after the biggest shake-up of cricket in the island, the Guernsey Cricket Association have agreed a three-year sponsorship deal to help put their plans into action. Last month the GCA's proposals to transform the shorter Evening League games to a Twenty20 style format and to introduce a new knockout competition were ratified by the clubs.

Barclays Wealth have now agreed to extend their existing sponsorship of the evening league for another three years and to sponsor the knockout competition.

The new structure, which the GCA said in its proposals would freshen up the sport, makes games as competitive as possible and helps prepare the island side for the 20-over cricket they will play in future, sees Divisions One and Two decided under Twenty20 rules and Divisions Three to Five playing 20-over games with existing evening league rules.

The competition will be played over nine weeks at the height of summer.

The knockout will see teams from each division compete for trophies - the Cup, Trophy, Shield, Vase and Plate.

'The GCA is indebted to Barclays Wealth for their support over the last six years and we are even more so now they have pledged to support our new-style league and knockout for 2008, 2009 and 2010.

'Sponsorship is vital as it allows the GCA to invest in the future of the sport to ensure that it becomes even more popular than it is,' said president Mark Latter.

He added that the new format would prove invaluable in preparing island players for forthcoming international Twenty20 games through the ICC.

'Cricket is a fantastic sport as it brings so many people together, no matter what their age or their background.

'The support from the clubs for change has been fantastic and with this sponsorship agreement we have finished 2007 on a high and are looking forward to the Barclays Wealth Twenty20 Evening League and the Knockout Competition starting next year as Guernsey cricket moves into a new era,' said Latter.

Mark Leaman, director of Barclays Wealth in Guernsey, added that the company 'has been a proud sponsor of the Evening League for the last six years and we are delighted to be able to continue and expand that support as the Guernsey Cricket Association moves into a new and an exciting chapter'.