Wiltshire Cricket releases emerging ideas for the future of junior club cricket in the county
From 2026, Wiltshire Cricket Limited will be taking on the running of junior club cricket following the retirement of the existing Wiltshire Youth Cricket League committee. Below we will share some of the emerging themes around what junior club cricket may look like going forwards, however before doing so it is right to say an enormous thank you to the outgoing and retiring Wiltshire Youth Cricket League committee, made up of Chris Sykes, Paul Rowson and Andrew Short. Chris, Andy and Paul have been in their posts on the committee for 25 years and in that time have seen the league increase from 6 clubs to the 32 who were part of the league in 2025. The below statistics also provide a sense of the growth the commitee has overseen during this time:
To devote a quarter of a century to the running of junior club cricket is an incredible contribution to the recreational game and with that in mind, the thanks and gratitude from all associated with Wiltshire Cricket goes out to Chris, Paul and Andrew. We also recognise Pete Knight who for a number of years was the fixture secretary for the league.
The future of junior club cricket in Wiltshire
Following the retirement of the existing committee it was agreed in early 2025 that the Cricket Board would take on the running of junior club leagues and competitions from the start of 2026.
To support with resourcing this new area of work, Wiltshire Cricket has recently employed Lisa Farr as our new Leagues and Competitions Development Officer.
In taking on the running of junior club cricket, Wiltshire Cricket has seen this as an opportunity to:
- Re-define the purpose and ethos of junior club cricket
- Align all junior cricket competitions under one identity
- Involve clubs in the development of what junior club cricket will look like from 2026
In relation to point 1 above, we feel passionately about creating a junior competitions structure that provides clarity around the primary purpose and ethos of each inidividual division that a team may enter. In doing this, we believe we can provide a variety of competition opportunities that will allow for and recognise the different outcomes that all clubs, players and coaches may be seeking from their involvement in junior club cricket.
To help inform what those ethoses might be and also to collect wider input around junior club cricket, Wiltshire Cricket ran a survey earlier this year to seek views from those involved in running junior cricket at their respective clubs. On Monday (3rd November 2025) evening, the findings from this survey were shared, with headline results looking as follows:
The 2026 Season
In taking on board the above feedback, Wiltshire Cricket has developed the following emerging ideas which outline initial areas of work as well as the proposed competitions that will be offered to clubs in 2026. Most notably within these competition offers, we would highlight:
- The introduction of Under 10s as a new competition age group
- The introduction of Under 17s as a new competition age group
- A defined purpose behind each individual division
*Please note that in addition to the league offers summarised below, Wiltshire Cricket will be continuing to adminster Under 9s festivals and Under 13 and Under 15 Knockout competitions:
Wiltshire Cricket is hugely excited about this new area of our work and is really positive about the opportunity to re-define what junior club cricket looks like throughout the county.
There is still an opportunity for clubs to provide feedback to Lisa on any of the above:
In the absence of any strong and collective objection to the above proposals, Wiltshire Cricket will be seeking to launch competition entries to clubs by 21st November 2025, with the following timescales then applicable as we lead in to 2026:
