Players from all over the county are gearing up for

the start of the Jolly's Drinks Cornwall Cricket League campaign tomorrow.

During the winter, changes to the UK immigration system have come into place.

A points-based managed migration system has been introduced, in the biggest shake-up of the system for more than 45 years.

Cricket clubs now need to obtain a 'sponsor licence' in order to bring players and coaches from outside the EU into this country.

As part of that application process, clubs must obtain a Governing Body Endorsement for both for their licence, which is obtained from the UK Borders Agency, and for each individual they wish to bring into the country.

In addition, clubs voted in a rule change at the AGM, which now limits clubs to only one seasonal overseas player per team. Previously there were no restrictions on numbers.

A 'seasonal player' is defined as a player who spends less than 12 months in Cornwall and Devon in the current year.

In the ECB Cornwall Premier League, a change has been made to revert back to determining league placings by the most points gained, as an average points system has been used over the last three seasons.

Cancelled games will now go back to both teams receiving six points apiece.

Clubs have also voted in a potential package for the 2010 campaign, which may see an increase from eight to ten teams in the Premier League, combined with new 50-over and countywide Twenty competitions involving both Premier and County One teams.

Its implementation will be dependent, however, on the top two teams from County Division One meeting the required ECB criteria to be promoted.

As a result, a question mark will remain until after the end of the season as to whether a Premier League team will be relegated this term.

Meanwhile, the format for 2009 remains with teams playing each other in a round robin 50-over win/lose games at the start of the campaign, followed by 110 over 'Time' games home and away. To avoid starting or finishing on a Bank Holiday weekend, the season has been extended to the first weekend in September, with the Mayday Monday not a scheduled full day of League fixtures.

County Division One games have been increased from 48 to 50 overs apiece, with bowlers now further restricted to only 20 per cent of the available overs (ie. ten overs maximum in a full game).

Clubs again voted out a proposal to fall in line with the Premier League, and set a minimum over rate of 17 over per hour.

There are concerns that with starts remaining at 2.00 pm, bad light might well be a problem at either end of the season.

Games will also continue to be rearranged if called off due to the weather in County Division One only.

There have been no changes to the playing conditions in the Eastern or Western sections, where 142 teams are set to compete.