WALLINGFORD CC chairman Martin Ridley has hit out at The Oxford Times Cherwell League in the wake of a spate of clubs being docked points in the opening weeks of the campaign.

Ridley, whose own club are among those which have been docked points for registration irregularities, believes the league's stringent rules are discouraging people from playing cricket.

In previous seasons, players in Divisions 7 to 9 could play two games before having to be registered, while under 15s were unaffected.

But now all players must be registered before playing their second match - including under 15s.

Ridley said: "I note with concern the growing regularity of reports of points deductions for clubs in The Oxford Times Cherwell League.

"I fully understand the need for regulations (particularly to control the deployment of overseas players) and support action to enforce these rules, especially in the top divisions.

"However, there is a huge difference between the top and bottom divisions and I strongly believe the rigid enforcement of rules across the whole league is detrimental to the game, and to harshly penalise 2nd, 3rd and 4th teams in the lower divisions for minor misdemeanours cannot help us in our common goal.

"We should be making it as easy as we can for more people to participate in our game at all levels and the current OTCL regulations do not do this."

"It is just getting silly. If you did a straw poll of clubs in the lower divisions of the league I feel without exception they feel the same."

League secretary Peter Tomlin defended the introduction of tighter registration rules this season.

He said they were introduced following malpractice by clubs - and in accordance with England & Wales Cricket Board guidelines.

He said: "If a team were to stick to the rules and not blatantly misuse them and try and take advantage, it would mean that the rules would not have to be changed at the end of each season to block loopholes.

"What do they want to play? Do they want to play league cricket with a set of rules? Or do they want to play friendly cricket where anything goes? If we make rules, we have to apply them.

"We have had to change the rules because of the way clubs have deliberately tried to circumvent the rules."

And Tomlin added: "We were advised at a meeting of the link leagues that all players playing for any club should be registered with the league and we have their proper name and address.

"The game of cricket is not the same as it was ten or 15 years ago. Restrictions have been brought in and we as a league have had to abide by them."