It’s all change in the Northants Cricket League, but Peterborough Town are determined to keep on winning

Not that Peterborough Town are complaining. They are just happy to be able to defend their Premier Division title, albeit in a shortened format which isn’t guaranteed to see the best side finishing as champions.

Only 10 teams are taking part in the in the top flight - Brigstock declined, Northampton Saints had already pulled out - and they initially play seven matches each with the top eight going through to contest play-off matches on three successive Saturdays in September.

All games will start at 11am. They will be 40 overs a side win/lose matches and be subject to strict Covid-19 inspired regulations.

The champions will be crowned after a grand final.

“The Northants League have done well to get started so soon after the guidelines were finalised and to come up with a format that should generate plenty of interest and excitement,” Town skipper David Clarke said. “There are plenty of things we will have to get used to, like what is a good 40 over score, but we’re just happy to be playing again.

“It won’t obviously be a normal season and it might seem a little unfair to award the Premier Division title when you don’t play each other home and away and you don’t play some sides at all, but we are in it and we want to win it.”

Town have lost the Sayer brothers Rob and David, who are now living in Australia, and batsman Nick Paskins won’t play this summer as he lives and works in London.

Sri Lankan import Salinda Ushan is also not now coming over.

Talented teenage batsman Sam Jarvis has come across to Bretton Gate from Orton Park and Clarke is confident his side have the strength and class to compete hard for top spot.

They start their season with two away matches, at newly-promoted Overstone Park on Saturday (July 18) and then at Horton House on July 25.

“We don’t know a lot about Overstone, but they will be full of confidence after coming up last season,” Clarke added.

“But we played the Northants Twenty/20 Finals there last season and it’s a decent ground.

“It’s all about making sure you finish in the top eight to start with which I assume we will do.

“There’s still plenty of quality in the squad with Lewis Bruce, Josh Smith and Mark Edwards all here for example and raring to go.”

Jarvis makes his Town debut at Overstone, while teenagers Sulemain Saleem and Karanpal Singh are also selected. Alex Mitchell is the only notable absentee.

Town: Clarke, Bruce, Edwards, Howard, Jarvis, Milner, Mohammed, Saleem, Singh, Jamie Smith, Josh Smith.

One of the quirks of the Northants Premier Division season 2020 is no fixture between neighbours Peterborough Town and Oundle Town unless they meet in the end-of-season play-offs in September.

Oundle, who start their top-flight campaign at Rushden & Higham on Saturday, were one of only two teams to beat champions Peterborough last season on their way to an excellent fourth-place finish.

Oundle will again be skippered by Mark Hodgson who expects the gifted Foster brothers David and Peter to be available all season. Dan Costello has also returned to Milton Road, but Ben Graves has left to play cricket in London.

Oundle were bringing over a West Indian player for the summer, but that plan was scuppered by the coronavirus crisis.

The Northants League is the biggest county competition in the country with 14 divisions, although they are running 12 this summer as some clubs didn’t want to take part.

There will be no promotion or relegation and no County T20 competition.

Peterborough Town seconds host Old in Division Two at Bretton Gate on Saturday when Oundle seconds are entertaining Geddington seconds in Division Three. Both matches start at 11am.

*Peterborough Town and Bourne hope to play the 2019 Jaidka T20 Final in August. The 2020 competition won’t take place.