An attempt to have only two start times in the JCT600 Bradford Cricket League for next season has fallen at the first hurdle.

The current rule is that matches start at 1.30pm, except for those in April and those between August 15 and 31 (1pm) and those in September (12.30pm or noon).

However, the Umpires’ Association proposed at the league’s rules revision meeting at Pudsey Congs that all matches should start at 1pm, except for those in September (12.30pm).

Umpires’ Association chair-man Glyn Pearson said: “This would be more straight-forward.”

But as this proposal failed to get a seconder, it will not go forward to the league’s annual meeting on Thursday, November 19.

Bradford & Bingley’s representative David Markham said: “There are some players who work on Saturday mornings and it leaves little time for them to get down to the ground and prepare it.”

League chairman Graham Reid said: “It is always a worry that clubs will lose out on bar income if matches start earlier.”

A proposal from the captains’ meeting that matches in April and those after the third Saturday in August should start at noon, with all other games beg-inning at 1pm, also failed to find a seconder.

Meanwhile, clubs must be glad the annual meeting hasn’t already taken place.

Over a third – a staggering nine of the 25 member clubs – were absent from the rules revision meeting, with each club being fined £10.

However, a proposal from the management board, seconded by Saltaire, to increase the fines for absent clubs to £25 per meeting will go forward to the annual meeting on Thursday, November 19.

In a non-binding straw poll of clubs and league officials, that proposed rule change received 14 votes in favour and only four against, meaning it is likely to be voted in at the annual meeting.

Also likely to be passed is the rule concerning an increase in fines for non-payment of subscriptions by the due date or of any fines imposed within one month.

Currently, the fines for these misdemeanours is £5 but an amended rule proposed by the management board and seconded by Hartshead Moor, which doubles the fine after a month and, if still unpaid after the stipulated time, is doubled again, was welcomed 13-3 on the non-binding straw poll.