YORKSHIRE chief executive Mark Arthur has welcomed a new-look league structure for the county via the creation of Yorkshire Premier Cricket in 2016 - big changes which could affect clubs such as Sheriff Hutton Bridge and Stamford Bridge.

The new set-up to come into play next year will feature four premier leagues, all of which will have partner leagues beneath them, as the first steps are taken towards creating a Yorkshire pyramid for club cricket. There will be promotion and relegation throughout.

The top team in each of the premier leagues will feature in an end-of-season Champion of Champion play-offs. The semi-finals are expected to be held at Scarborough and Headingley, with the final in Abu Dhabi in October 2016.

There are currently two premier leagues in the White Rose county - the Yorkshire League and the North Yorkshire South Durham League.

Under the new structure, the Yorkshire League will be split into a Yorkshire League North and Yorkshire League South.

The North Yorkshire South Durham League will remain unchanged, while the fourth premier league will be filled by the Bradford League, which is in the process of securing ECB premier league status.

Yorkshire League North will feature seven members of the old Yorkshire League - York, Scarborough, Harrogate, Hull, Castleford, Driffield and the Yorkshire Academy - joined by five teams from its partner league, the York & District Senior League.

The Gazette & Herald believes the York & District teams to go up into the new Yorkshire League North will be decided on final placings at the end of the forthcoming 2015 season, and whether those clubs want to make the step up.

Sheriff Hutton Bridge finished third and Stamford Bridge sixth in the York & District premier division last year and will be aiming to better those placings this year, putting them in the frame for York League North spots.

Meanwhile, Barnsley, Rotherham, Sheffield Collegiate, Sheffield United, Doncaster, Cleethorpes and Appleby Frodingham from the Yorkshire League will be joined by teams from their partner leagues - three from the South Yorkshire League and two from the Central Yorkshire League.

The Bradford League will be at the pinnacle of the pyramid in West Yorkshire, where the Central Yorkshire League has voted to be partner league.

The Yorkshire Premier Cricket board will oversee the new structure. It will feature two representatives from each of the premier leagues plus Yorkshire chief executive Arthur and Andrew Watson, Yorkshire Cricket Board executive director for partnerships.

Arthur said: “It is right that Yorkshire, as the largest and most successful cricketing county, has a pyramid structure that will enable the best club players to play against each other on a regular basis in the most competitive league structure in the country.

“From 2016 onwards, there will be no argument as to which club is the best in Yorkshire.”

The chairman of the Yorkshire Premier Cricket Board Alan Birkinshaw, said: “We believe this provides the opportunity for the aspirational clubs and players to play at the highest level of league cricket in Yorkshire.

“Yorkshire Premier Cricket is the peak of the Yorkshire pyramid and now there has to be further discussions with the many other leagues across the county.

“Nobody will be compelled to join the structure but we hope leagues and clubs will see the benefits of having a structure where a small club with big ambitions can have a pathway to the top.”

• PICKERING CC’s junior section are holding their signing-on night at the Rec Club on Friday, from 6pm to 8pm. All are welcome, boys and girls.

The club have two under-15s teams, two U13s two U11s and an U9s. Coaching for U11 and U13s will be on Saturday mornings and U15s on Wednesday nights.

Membership costs £30 for the first child in a family and £20 for the second but is free for the third onwards.

More details are available from junior secretary Neil Cowton on 07825 526289.