ECB Southern Electric Premier Cricket League
Accreditation Scheme for Grounds, Facilities, and Youth Development

Contents

1. Introduction
2. Brief History
3. Purpose of the Scheme
4. Registering for participation in the Scheme
5. Standards
6. Performance
7. Assessment Procedures
8. Governance
9. Sources of advice and support
Appendices
‘A’ Youth Criteria in tabular form
‘B’ Grounds & Facilities Criteria

1. Introduction

This provides a guide to the background, purpose, operation, and governance of the Southern Electric Premier Cricket League (SEPL) Accreditation Scheme for Grounds and Youth Development. It brings together in a single document, information which has previously been available through a range of sources such as the League Handbook, AGM Reports, and Captains meetings. The SEPL Committee will update the booklet to incorporate future changes to the Scheme.

2. Brief History

The notion of accreditation is not new in League Cricket in Hampshire. The former Southern Cricket League introduced an accreditation scheme in the early 1990s to address the generally poor quality of pitches, and to promote the development of coaching and Youth Cricket. The Hampshire Cricket League introduced a Grounds assessment scheme shortly afterwards.
At the inception of the Southern Premier League, accreditation was strengthened as part of the drive to further improve standards at the top of the Club ‘Pyramid’ in line with the vision of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for the recreational game. All member clubs signed up to the accreditation approach as a condition of membership and by adopting the Club Charter.

3. Purpose of the scheme

The purpose of the Accreditation Scheme is to promote continuous improvement, whilst ensuring that minimum standards continue to be satisfied. Participation in the Scheme is a condition of membership of the SEPL, and levels of accreditation are built into the eligibility criteria for entry to each of the three SEPL Divisions.

4. Registering for participation in the Scheme

Any Club can register for participation in the Scheme by application to the SEPL Secretary. However given the practical constraints on resources available to run the Scheme, participation is effectively restricted to Hampshire Cricket League Clubs and Clubs from other Leagues which have ambitions of entry to SEPL. Such Clubs are advised normally to allow themselves two seasons following registration prior to possible entry so that any necessary improvements, identified during assessment, may be implemented.

5. Standards

The Accreditation Standards are set out in Appendix ‘A’. The Standards are set by the SEPL. The Standards for pitches and outfields are supported by performance criteria and a rating scale which is applied at the end of each match by the Umpires and the visiting captain.

6. Performance

6.1 Grounds

The minimum scores, averaged over a number of seasons, are -

Gold
                      Pitch       29.00
                  
                      Outfield    7.50

                      Overall    36.50

Silver
                      Pitch        25.00

                      Outfield     7.00

                      Overall     32.00

Bronze
                      Pitch       22.00

                      Outfield    6.50

                      Overall    28.50

6.2 Facilities

Facilities are checked against Appendix ‘B’ on physical evidence by Umpires and Grounds Assessors on the basis of ‘present/not present’ and reported accordingly.

6.3  Youth Development

Gradings are checked against Appendix ‘A’ by the HCB Cricket Development Manager, independently of the League Management Committee, based on a self-assessment process (see 7.2).

7. Assessment Procedures

7.1 Grounds

Grading of grounds is determined by the following –

• umpires and captains pitch and ground markings
• umpires and captains comments
• ground assessors reports, where available

Particularly for Gold grading, three questions are addressed

• is the standard met consistently over the season ?
• is there the capability and capacity in groundsmanship to maintain the standard ?
• what is the trend over several seasons ?

Once given, grading is not normally withdrawn on the basis of a single season of lesser standard. A system of warnings from the League Committee is instigated to enable Clubs to remedy deficiencies, based on recommendations from HCB.

7.2 Youth Development

By the end of each season clubs are asked to 

• confirm the number of Colts games played at each age group. In cases of doubt, checks will be made with District Associations and other Clubs.

• list the ECB Qualified Coaches who are actively working with Colts in the club and have a current CRB clearance through ECB.

• confirm club/school links, if any, as defined in Appendix ‘A’, 7.1- 7.6

7.3 Clubmark Accreditation

It is also a requirement that all Clubs within the SEPCL shall have obtained Clubmark by 31 August 2009.

8. Governance

The Accreditation Standards are set by the SEPL, and particularly for the Gold Standard are heavily influenced by the Standards set for Premier League Clubs by the ECB.
The Grounds and Youth Development Assessment aspects of the Scheme are operated by the Hampshire Cricket Board on behalf of SEPL, and any dispute over matters of fact are open to review by the Chairman of the Board upon request by the club concerned.

Sources of advice and support

Further information and practical support, in using the Accreditation Scheme to improve Club performance, including free grounds advisory visits, is available from –

•  the Secretary of the SEPL
•  the Secretary of the HCB
•  the Grounds Adviser of the HCB
•  the Cricket Development Manager of the HCB
•  the Chairman of the HCB Facilities Committee

jw/csav/csur/arb/8/06.

August 2006
[Revised March 2008]

For Appendix A Youth Criteria - Click Next