In this episode of the Silver Stumps podcast National Management team man and Warwickshire player Dave Murphy joins hosts Grant Timms and Trevor Lee to explain the new look formats for 2024, in particular the phase two group stages for the O60s 1st and 2nd XI competitions.

Here’s a summary of the formats:

O60s 1st XI : 33 teams in 6 groups (it was 5 in 2023) - North (6 teams) - East (5), Midlands (5), South East (5), South East Midlands (6) and SouthWest (6).

The top 2 teams in each group progress in the Championship Cup phase 2 league which will be geographically divided so the 6 teams qualifying from the North, East and Midlands will be in Group A and the 6 teams from the other 3 regions in Group B

The six teams will play each other home and away but teams won’t play against the same team that was in their original group, which means there will be eight matches in this phase 2 group stage

The top two then in each of the groups qualify for the semifinals with the winner of group A playing the runner-up of group B and vice versa

An identical structure will apply to those finishing third and fourth in each of the six groups who will qualify for the Vase tournament with those finishing fifth and sixth, which will be 19 is in total, going into the Bowl tournament

A similar structure will be happening for the O60s 2nd XI competition although in phase 1 with 30 teams there will be five groups of six

The top two in each group go through into phase 2 league, with one group featuring three winners and two runners-up and the other group featuring two winners and three runners-up – the decision about replacing what group will be determined when the first phase is finished and geography taken into account

In phase 2 teams will play four matches so once each against the teams in their phase 2 group with each county playing 2 home games and 2 away games

The identical structure applies to those finishing third and fourth who will go into the O60s 2nd XI Vase competition and those finishing fifth and sixth who will go into the O60s 2nd XI Bowl competition

The O60s 3rd XI competition features 17 teams who will play 12 matches prior to a quarter-final stage and in the O60s 4th XI competition there will be seven teams play each other home and away

In the O70s 1st XI competition 25 teams will play 12 matches before going into the quarter-final stage and in the O70s 2nd XI competition five teams will play each other four times

Grant and Trevor will be looking for future guests who can provide insights, tips, advice and inspiration to those playing cricket at this age and beyond!

To be a guest on the show or advise on someone who would make a great guest please drop an email to podcast@trevorleemedia.co.uk

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Silver Stumps is the podcast aimed at Over 60 Cricketers. Hosted by Grant Timms and Trevor Lee it aims to be entertaining, informative and topical as Grant and Trevor combine a mix of guests with their own take on what's happening in the thriving world of over 60s cricket.