THERE is a new look to the Jollys Drinks Cornwall Cricket League for 2017 with a restructuring of the lowest divisions.

All 56 Tier 3 teams have been divided geographically into five sections of Division Five.

They have been named from West to East as Atlantic, Fal, Central, Gannel and Tamar respectively.

Division Five Atlantic has a full complement of 12 teams while all the others have eleven. All teams will have a minimum of 20 games of 40 overs per side with 2pm starts. Promotion and relegation will be three down from each of Division Four East and West with the top team from each section of Division Five being promoted plus the best second placed team.

If a proposal for a 12-team Premier League in 2018 is voted in at the AGM on Wednesday, January 25, only two teams will be relegated next year from each Division Four.

The restructure was caused by two teams from the West section coming down from County One and compounding the existing three vacancies in Division’s Two and Five East, created in April 2016.

The end result was that a promoted western team from Division Six Central found itself in Division Five East, with potentially an unacceptable nine visits to the far east of the county, including four to the Tamar Valley.

St Blazey thirds have withdrawn but the additions of Buckland Monachorum and the welcome return of second elevens of Constantine, Leedstown and Troon see an increase to 150 teams across 13 divisions of the League.

The season commences on Saturday, April 22.

League fixtures are scheduled to be released as close to Monday, January 10 as possible while the all-important Cornwall Cricket League AGM takes place on Wednesday, January 25 at County Hall, Truro.

Below are the five Division Five divisions with teams in the Post area highlighted in bold.

Division 5 Atlantic (12 teams): Gulval 2, Rosudgeon 2, Barripper 2, Hayle 3, St Ives 2, Penzance 3, St Just 4, Praze 2, Helston 3, Camborne 4, Porthleven 2, Leedstown 2.

Division 5 Fal (11 teams): Perranarworthal 2, Stithians 2, Mullion 2, Redruth 3, Camborne 3, Mawnan, Wendron 2, Crofty/Holman 2, Falmouth 4, Troon 2, Constantine 2.

Division 5 Central: (11 teams): Falmouth 3, Gerrans, St Day, Ladock 2, Mount Hawke 2, Veryan, Truro 4, Perranporth 2, Redruth 4, Perranarworthal 3, St Gluvias 3.

Division 5 Gannel (11 teams): Lanhydrock 2, Wadebridge 3, St Neot 2, Boconnoc 2, St Austell 4, Grampound Road 4, Pencarrow, Tintagel 2, St Stephen, Newquay 4, Roche 3.

Division 5 Tamar (11 teams): Callington 3, Werrington 4, Tideford 2, Milton Abbot, St Stephens (Saltash), Gunnislake, South Petherwin 2, Saltash 2, Menheniot-Looe 3, Launceston 3, Buckland Monachorum.

Last season Launceston’s third team finished bottom of Division Six East, and with the changes now have to face a much stronger calibre of opposition including the likes of Callington thirds who were in Division Four last term and established Division Five teams such as Tideford seconds and Milton Abbot.

However, despite the increase in standard, Launceston’s third team captain, Paul Bunn, is hopeful that things may change.

Paul said: “When I found out about the changes it was a bit of a shock for us. But now I’ve thought about it, it should only be a good thing for us.

“Yes we’ve struggled in recent years, but, with less travelling to do now because of the changes, I’m hoping we can get better teams out more consistently.

“Also for a lot of our younger players it will help them play against better players, and that way they should improve quicker.

“To begin with results aren’t likely to change to much but with the rest of the club hopefully gaining some new players, we should have a bit of a better squad to choose from and hopefully we can pick up a few wins.”

The restructure is very much in line with ECB’s ‘Get the Game On’ campaign designed to boost participation.

Player research has shown that preferred travel time is 30 minutes allowing players to be home no later than 7.30pm on matchdays.

In the rest of the division’s there are some other notable changes.

With the restructuting of the divisions, there were no automatic relegations from the East divisions.

However Callington thirds were automatically relegated because they conceded three or more fixtures in Division Four.

A full list of divisions, including the Post area teams that got promoted, can be viewed at www.cornwallcricket.co.uk