Photo Credit: Cricket Netherlands
Men and women working in the top and big league
The KNCB has decided that it will make use of the option offered under the Ministerial Regulation of 8 December 2020 to start the top competitions for men and women.
Ten teams in the top class men and five in the big league women will start the competition in 2021 on 1 May. From 1 April, the participating teams may train in groups and play exhibition games. The preparation period for the competitions lasts until Friday, April 30. These training sessions and exhibition matches take place under the KNCB protocol “Start-up Top Competitions”. In this protocol, participating teams are allowed to train and play practice and competition matches. Players and officials are required to be tested once a week, by means of an Antigen rapid test.
After intensive consultation with all participating associations, the following decisions were taken with regard to the top class and big league for the men:
- The championship is played in both the Top Class and the Dutch Major League;
- There will be no relegation from the Top class in the 2021 season;
- The numbers 1 and 2 of the big league are promoted to the top class, provided that at least half a competition has been completed in the big league;
- The Top class competition 2022 will be played with 12 teams, subject to at least half a competition in the big league competition 2021;
- The big league competition 2022 will be played with 8 teams, subject to at least half a competition in the big league competition 2021;
- The number 10 of the Dutch big league will play a best-of-three promotion / relegation play-off against the number 1 of the First Division, subject to at least half a competition in the Dutch big league and the First Division in 2021;
The Dutch big league also plays for the championship; however, no degradation takes place.
The KNCB is pleased that both men and women can start with the competitions in the highest classes. In collaboration with the participating associations, every effort will be made to carefully implement the KNCB protocol “Start-up Top Competitions”. This protocol was developed in collaboration with NOC * NSF. The KNCB medical committee, through KNCB doctor Robert van Oosterom, assessed the protocol and found it to be in order.
The Top class men program can be viewed in the match center on the KNCB website. The program of the Dutch big league can also be found here next week.
Fixtures | Royal Dutch Cricket Association (kncb.nl)
For questions regarding the start-up of the top competitions, please contact competition leader Bart Kroesen via league@kncb.nl
