SIX per cent of players in the Mewies Solicitors Craven League have replied to the ECB's national players' survey.

This is the highest percentage of any league in Yorkshire.

However, there is a worry that what most of the six per cent want – such as starting half an hour early at 1.30pm and reducing the overs per side from 45 to 40 – is not what the other 94 per cent want.

Fixtures secretary Trevor Coe told club representatives at the league's rules revision meeting at Cross Hills Social Club: "Go back to your clubs and find out what the players want, as Long Lee, Oakworth and Embsay have done, and come back to the annual meeting next month knowing which way to vote."

Starting at 1.30pm will ensure that matches finish earlier, making problems of bad light easier at the beginning and end of a season and freeing up more social time afterwards.

However, it will also cause problems for sides whose players work on Saturday mornings, with Long Lee's Derek Granger claiming: "We might struggle to get 11 players there for 1.30pm if this rule goes through."

Meanwhile, not all junior players want innings to be reduced, with Hepworth & Idle saying that their youngsters prefer the longer format.

The Craven League have given their backing to a rules revision proposal in the Aire-Wharfe League that their under-19 players could be loaned out to clubs in lesser leagues on a Saturday without the need for a transfer form.

Coe said: "We tried to get this through several years ago as Cononley have a link with Steeton's third team players, who play on Sundays, but the Aire-Wharfe League wouldn't allow it, even though the players weren't playing on Saturdays, which was ridiculous.

"However, earlier this year we were at a meeting and talked to a man from the Aire-Wharfe League who is on their management committee, and he said they would talk about it at committee level, which they have done."

The Aire-Wharfe clubs will make a decision at their annual meeting at Otley Rugby Union Football Club on Tuesday, November 25.

Craven League secretary Ann Coe added: "Foulridge and Pendle Forest already use Sunday players from the Ribblesdale League, while Ingrow St John's use players from the West Riding Sunday Council, and Haworth Road have taken players from both the Quaid-e-Azam League and the West Riding Sunday Council."

Haworth West End confirmed that they will only be fielding one side in the Craven League next season.