SHEPHERD Neame are expected to become new sponsors of the Kent Cricket League on Wednesday if clubs gave their backing during the annual meeting.

An agreement has already been reached in principle for a one-year deal with the Faversham-based brewery, and clubs will receive more details during the meeting.

The management committee are also planning to warn clubs that, particularly in light of having a new sponsor, they will be issuing hard penalties next season to anyone bringing the league into disrepute.

They are concerned about critical remarks given to newspapers about umpiring and others clubs’ attitudes, as well as articles regarded as distasteful appearing on club websites last season.

Among the other proposals for discussion is one from St Lawrence for there to be a penalty in the Premier Division for clubs failing to provide a scorer. If a club did not have a scorer one of their players would have to be in the scorebox at all times.

When the team was fielding, the player in the scorebox could be rotated, but not substituted, so they would have to field with 10 men.

Holmesdale have put forward a proposal that the league season should start and finish later due to better weather in September during recent years.

But there are concerns that many clubs do not have use of their ground that late in the year due to others sports being played there. There have also been suggestions that start times for matches next season should be earlier.

All divisions do not have to start at the same time and clubs are due to discuss whether others could follow the lead of the Premier Division and begin earlier.

There were two incomplete matches last summer, with no over rate penalties, in matches on days with perfect weather conditions.

Clubs will be told that there is more than enough time on a fine day to finish a 100-over match, and that tactical time-wasting to gain or prevent points is unacceptable.

They will have to make sure their umpires are aware of the over-rate requirements of the league, and appropriate penalty points, and ensure they are rigorously applied next year.