THE annual delegates’ meeting of the I’Anson Competitions ­– one of the most important in the league’s 115-year history – was not a marathon session because club representatives knew in advance how they would vote on key issues.

In little more than an hour, delegates had backed recommendations that Divisions One to Three should become 10-team leagues and that the I’Anson should adopt the split format used by other leagues and play half the season’s fixtures as ‘timed’ cricket (games can be drawn) and the other half as straight limited overs.

Ten-team divisions will not come into force until 2018, when a realigned league will play a shorter season. But the split format will apply next season, thus partially satisfying those who have called regularly for overs cricket since the 1970s.

There was no debate on the recommendations put forward by the management committee because they resulted from exhaustive lobbying of the clubs and cricketers. The IMC organised four club forums and a major survey, all trying to answer the question: ‘Can we make the Competitions better? If so, how?’

Findings (relevant to the I’Anson) from the 2015 ECB nationwide survey were presented at the forums. The I’Anson’s own survey, using a facility operated by Survey Monkey, was designed to gather as many opinions as possible.

Thirty of the 34 clubs were represented at the meetings, while the 293 responses to the survey covered all the member clubs.

So, at the ADM, it was straight to the six questions that covered the IMC recommendations.

The change to 10-team leagues was carried by 23-9 and the option of 2018 (18 votes) rather than 2017 (14) no doubt came as a relief to Ian Webster, the hard-pressed fixtures secretary.

The split format was approved by 20 votes to 12 and the fourth question, whether divisions four to six (each nine teams last season) should be reduced to 80 overs got the affirmative, 23-10.

A revised points system, anticipating limited overs and including bonus points, was approved by a resounding 26-3. The new system again comes closer into line with other leagues. A win will be rewarded by 18 points (8 for a winning draw, 2 for a losing draw), with the bonus points offering extra incentive, win or lose. Following the voting, the system will be tweaked by the IMC before the start of next season.

Delegates – perhaps mindful of the I’Anson’s roots in village cricket – baulked at the idea of renaming the divisions and Division?One will not become the ‘Premiership’ (11-21).

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A proposal by Frensham and Grayshott that teams conceding three or more matches should be automatically relegated was rejected. Kingsley’s amendment calling for teams who conceded a match to have five points deducted was also turned down, but only by the chairman’s deciding vote (17-16).

Delegates felt that the vexed question of concessions needed to be addressed, though, not least those representing newer teams who, too strong for the lower divisions, found opposing teams scratching fixtures only too regularly.

Another joint submission from Frensham and Grayshott ­ – the only clubs to field four teams in the I’Anson – that would allow delegates, each with voting rights, for every team of the club, attracted only two votes in favour – from Frensham and Grayshott.

Proposals from the management committee, approved by delegates, will allow players aged 17 and under to compete in the knockout cups without being subject to the usual eligibility rules, while the fielding restrictions and no-ball ‘free hit’ rules will now apply to all knockout matches and not just the finals.

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It has been an eventful first year as I’Anson chairman for Simon Whitley, probably the youngest to hold the office. “Every club is represented at this important meeting and that is excellent,” he said. “It’s my first year and a lot has happened, but we have a dynamic committee. A mass debate has come from you guys and we got an idea of what you wanted.”

He paid tribute to Andy Rooke who had done a “fantastic job” as umpires’ secretary and was now standing down.

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Competition secretary Gill Rooney gave the chastening news that Wrecclesham CC had folded due to an acute shortage of players. Wrecclesham had one of the strongest youth sections back in the 1980s, when future England batsman Graham Thorpe was amongst their players, but the club’s membership has dwindled drastically and the 2nd XI was withdrawn from Division?Four early last season.

Now the club has followed Lindford and Alfold out of the competition, underlining a problem faced by many leagues as player membership declines for a variety of reasons.

As stated in the IMC document, there is a widening gap between the clubs at the top and at the bottom of the divisions. The introduction of 10-team divisions, with the subsequent necessary relegations, may improve the situation.

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Treasurer Suzanne Munday was again able to report a surplus in the I’Anson’s finances.

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The successful I’Anson umpires course will start at Frensham on January 10. John Gray said that the eight-week course is aimed chiefly at player-umpires. Twelve were trained last year.

Graham Pullen has succeeded Andy Rooke as I’Anson umpires secretary. All the existing officers and management committee members were re-elected.