The Chelmere Homes Liverpool and District Cricket Competition ECB Premier League

This Saturday 6th May, the Premier Division of the Chelmere Homes Liverpool and District Cricket Competition will begin its season as a newly accredited ECB Premier League. Playing time cricket, matches will commence at 1:00 pm with the aim at having at least 110 overs per match rated at 17 overs per hour. With a 30 minute tea interval, the last 20 overs will start at 6:45 pm.

The match of the day will be at Wadham Road, where reigning champions, Bootle, take on 1998's champions, New Brighton. Bootle have recruited in the close season with Kelby Pickering from South Australia replacing Adam Warren (Randwick, Sydney). New Brighton went to Trinidad for their overseas player, Leon Romero, an opening batsman.

Newly promoted Colwyn Bay have Border's (RSA) Dion Taljard back for a second season after taking 98 wickets at an average of 9.72 in 1999. Bombay's former Test opening bowler Abey Kuruvilla will be back for a fourth season with visitors Southport and Birkdale for whom he has taken 282 wickets at abn average of 11.10.

It's the turn of New Zealand to be represented in the Formby v Wigan match where Northern District team mates will in opposition. Neal Parlane will be opening the batting for Formby with Hamish Marshall, twin brother of James Marshall who was at Formby last season, opening for Wigan.

Northern will once again have a player from the New South Wales Academy and this year, Clinton Witt from Northern Suburbs, Sydney. They entertain Leigh who will field yet another Australian in Michael Day, an all rounder from ACT.

Welsh side, Northop Hall have this year gone to New Zealand and to Wellington's Robert Kennedy, the former Kiwi Test and One Day International opening bowler. Visitors Lytham have Chris Rogers from Western Australia who played for the state in the last Australian season.

Wallasey, will have another Australian in their ranks in New South Wales' state wicket-keeper / batsman, Brad Haddin replacing Zimbabwe's Bryan Strang. Ormskirk, runners up last year, go back to Randwick (Sydney, NSW) and to opening batsman, Paul Toole to replace all rounder Craig Wiseman who came second in the batting averages with 813 runs at an average of 54.20.

Bolton: Adil Nisar (Pakistan), Caldy: Joseph Hill (Central Districts, NZ), Fleetwood Hesketh: Oliver Kirk (New Plymouth, New Zealand), Hightown: Ryan Pitts (Melbourne), Huyton: Marlon Black (Trinidad), Liverpool: Syed Sajid Shah (Habib Bank, Pakistan), Maghull: Grant Donaldson (Wellington, NZ), Newton le Willows: Asif Jan (Trinidad), Orrell Red Triangle: Grant Ewing (Zimbabwe U-19), St Helens: Paul Newman (South Australia), St Helens Recs: nil, Sefton Park: Ashley Noffke (Queensland), Worsley: Heath Pedrola (Australia).

ECB Premier League: Bootle v New Brighton, Colwyn Bay v Southport and Birkdale, Formby v Wigan, Northern v Leigh, Northop Hall v Lytham, Wallasey v Ormskirk.

First Division: Fleetwood Hesketh v Maghull, Liverpool v Newton le Willows, Orrell Red Triangle v St Helens, St Helens Recs v Caldy, Sefton Park v Hightown, Worsley v Huyton.