GC Inter-Counties Arrangements 2020

[<<] [>>] by Bill Arliss at Southwick and Cheltenham
5th November 2019 (GC - Championships)

Ladies and Gentlemen,
The GC Tournament Committee met on 2 Nov to confirm arrangements for the 2020 season and herewith a summary of all arrangements made.
1. The Inter-Counties will expand in 2020 to enable additional county teams to enter.
2. Southwick will host Division 1 and Cheltenham will host Division 2 on the same weekend in 2020. The date has been confirmed as 22/23 Aug 2020.
3. Provisional entries have been made by all eighteen teams from last year plus a new entry from Devon. We are reasonably confident that one more county will enter, which will bring the overall total to 20 teams.
4. In 2020, Division 1 will comprise 12 teams - the top ten teams from last year plus the two promotions from Division 2: Somerset, Durham/Yorks, Nottinghamshire, Kent, Dorset, Northamptonshire, Hampshire, Middlesex, Surrey & Glamorgan plus Sussex and Essex.
5. Division 2 is expected to comprise 8 teams: Leicestershire and Hertfordshire from Division 1, plus Buckinghamshire, Glos/Worcs, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, newcomers Devon and either the new county or a CA Select Team.
6. As Cheltenham is now on board, entries will still be taken until the end of 2019 so that the final team list for Division 2 can be considered at the February meeting of the GCTC. Any county considering a possible new entry should read the full requirements for new entries as laid out in the Fixtures Book. All players given on any team list must have signified their availability for the coming year and the list for new teams should contain two spare players to allow for illnesses or holidays etc.
7. If a CA Select Team is deemed to be necessary, the Tournament Director will seek volunteers in early February after the GCTC meeting. If any player wishes to register an early interest, they should contact the Tournament Director.
8. The GCTC will be giving further thought at their Feb 2020 meeting to future arrangements (from 2021 onwards) for this event such as: the relative sizes of the two divisions; the numbers of relegations and promotions needed; and whether to alternate the two divisions between Southwick and Cheltenham (and, if so, at what frequency - annually, biennially etc). The Special Conditions for the 2020 Inter-Counties will include suitable wording on the number of possible promotions and relegations in order to cater for a range of options in 2021.
9. I would very much like to hear the views of County Organisers on these subjects or in fact any matters relating to future events. Please let the Director know your opinions.

Bill Arliss
Tournament Director