THE thorny issue of overseas and paid players will be discussed at a series of cricket roadshows by York-area clubs next month.

The open forum sessions for York and District Senior League clubs were already in the pipeline ahead of this week's annual meeting at York St John's College when a proposal to scrap professional players was defeated.

The proposed rule change, put forward by Pocklington CC, was defeated by 32 votes to 20, but the league committee promised to look at the issue over the next few months.

Clubs are being invited to roadshows at Driffield (Friday, December 6), Selby (Dec 9), Acomb (Dec 10) and Easingwold (Dec 16) and the amateur status proposal will be discussed along with the geographical set-up of the league.

Concern has been expressed about the increasing amount of miles clubs have to travel for matches and that was reflected when Scarborough Beckett League side Folton and Flixton and Hull-based clubs Fenners and Welton had applications to join the YDSL turned down at the annual meeting.

Hornsea II, whose first team are already members of the York League, were admitted for 2004.

Cawood II and Heslington II, who were both up for re-election, were re-admitted along with a string of other clubs.

Clubs agreed a system of loan transfers for Under 17s. Players in that category can play for another club on a match-to-match basis if they are not required by their own clubs.

The idea is to give younger players more experience while ensuring that clubs short of players can field a full complement.

Clubs who bowl their overs slowly will no longer have points docked but will be penalised within the game in question with the overs they fail to bowl being tagged on to the opposition's ration.

Ron Richtering (Hornsea) and Mike Wellock (Pocklington) were voted on to the league committee, which has adjusted its management team. Steve Carr (Carlton Towers) has become disciplinary secretary.

Roger Dale (Bolton Percy) will deal with registrations and transfers, while Colin Armstrong is disciplinary and results assistant secretary.

Updated: 12:56 Saturday, November 02, 2002