COLOURED clothing and coloured balls could make their debut in the Upper Airedale Junior Cricket Association this year.

A proposal from JMS Cricket's Jonathan Smith about introducing the 'pyjama game' will be up for discussion at the league's annual meeting at Cononley Cricket Club on Thursday (7.30pm).

Smith said in his proposal: "I sincerely think that the modern culture of coloured clothing and coloured balls will be common place within the next five years, and hope that the Upper Airedale area will embrace the proposal and beat the forefront of changes to how kids approach the beautiful game.

"I am absolutely convinced that if one club uses it, then every team that they play against will also want a kit."

"A fun factor needs to be added and, in trying to overcome the financial implications that new kits may incur, we have sourced clothing through our Indian manufacturers of general cricket equipment."

Smith hopes that club sponsorship will indirectly lessen the cost of each kit, and added: "A sublimated coloured clothing kit will cost £30 (each) for juniors, and this includes as many sponsors as you want to put on it.

"A cricket kit can be used by the kids every day of the week for playing out in, and not just matches."

If the coloured clothing and coloured balls proposal gets the go-ahead, then Smith says that he might run a competition with the prize being a free junior kit to the winning club.

Another item on the agenda is the revitalisation of the league, which was discussed at length in November's league meeting.

Proposals include start the league later (May 1) and finish it before schools break up for their summer holidays (July 29), change the points system, disband the under-17 league or switch it from Mondays to Thursdays, transfer some of the younger age groups to Sundays, allow B teams to play, have cup matches on Mondays and standardise practice nights.