Happy New Year all,
As the year rolls into 2025 and cricketers across the region start to get their minds focused on the 2025 season I enclose an update from the WDCU. Can you please ensure that you read the full email as it contains important information, and also to ensure that you inform the appropriate people within your club. Thanks
Season Dates
The 2025 WDCU League season will run for all Divisions, apart from Premiership 3, from Saturday 3rd May to Saturday 30th August inclusive. Premiership 3 will run from Saturday 26th April to Saturday 6th September inclusive.
Divisional Placings for Season 2025
The WDCU will continue, for season 2025, with the existing tier structure. For season 2025 WDCU has seen the inclusion of 4 new teams, sadly there has also been the loss of 3 teams from 2024.
In creating the composition of the divisions the WDCU CMC has considered the League Administration Rules and also a number of requests of extenuating circumstances from some clubs. The WDCU CMC consider the finalised structure to be the best fit for the forthcoming season. The playing conditions for the new Championship 4 will be the same as those for Championship 3.
The 2025 Divisional placings are as below.
Competitions Structure Sub Committee
As indicated at both the WDCU Club Forum and WDCU AGM, WDCU are initiating a sub-committee tasked with reviewing all competitions currently run by the WDCU to establish if they are fit for purpose in their current format. This sub-committee will be expected to produce recommendations to the WDCU CMC for them to consider how best to agree with clubs the adoption of any such recommendations. The WDCU CMC note that any recommendations towards League structure will be for season 2026 at the earliest.
Overseas Amateurs
At the 2024 WDCU AGM clubs voted to remove the age restriction currently applied to Overseas Amateurs. This brings the WDCU in line with the EPL. The 2025 League Administration rules will be amended to reflect this change.
It is STILL the responsibility of the club to ensure any Overseas Amateur engaged fully meets the criteria set out in the Home Office Immigration rules for cricket.
Coloured Clothing
As indicated in the 2024 Pre-season notes (issued April 2024), coloured clothing will be mandatory in ALL WDCU Leagues and Cup competitions for season 2025.
WDCU Subscriptions
At the AGM the WDCU recommended and was agreed by clubs that the annual subscriptions rates increase as follows:
Full Member Class 1 – £240
Full Member Class 2 – £70
Affiliate Member Class 3 – £35
Invoices will be issued in the coming weeks.
Fair Play System
At the AGM the WDCU recommended and agreed by clubs that a Fair Play system will be introduced in season 2025 as a trial. More details will follow in due course.