HEREFORDSHIRE'S youth cricket leagues are set for a major revamp for the forthcoming season.

And youth coaching within the county is also undergoing a substantial shake-up with a view to enhancing playing standards at junior level.

Under the guidance of Herefordshire cricket development officer Chris Dirkin, a new coaching programme is to be introduced.

"The core programme is a coaching template for clubs," said Dirkin. "It's a 24-hour programme split into 12 two-hour sessions. This is split into three parts - under-11, under-13 and under-15 - and there are three levels of skill ability within those three.

"It's a coach-friendly course and Herefordshire is the only county in the country that has a junior coaching programme for clubs."

Since Dirkin's arrival in the county some 18 months ago, the number of coaches has increased from 28 to the present figure of 65.

This winter, two coaching education classes have been arranged with 19 potential coaches taking part in the first and 20 currently following the second.

Dirkin hopes that an improvement in the standard of coaching will also lead to better performances on the pitch and this is also tied in to what he describes as a 'change in culture' in youth league cricket.

"The talent in Herefordshire is no different to that in Worcester-shire and Shropshire," he said. "It's the standard of cricket that's different here.

"If we can't bat out our overs at club level we will struggle to do so at county level so then there's no opportunity to win the games. What's needed is an increase in the standard of batting and in batting time."

With this in mind, the major change among the county leagues is at under-15 level where games will now consist of 40 overs per team instead of the previous 20.

Games will take place on Sunday afternoons with matches arranged on dates not occupied by Catley Staite League fixtures, which also encourage the participation of young players.

Additionally, whereas in previous seasons youngsters were compelled to leave the crease upon reaching a certain score, usually 25, now teams will achieve bonus points if any individual succeeds in scoring more than 60.

Bonus points will also be achieved by teams which bat all, or most of, their allotted overs, on a sliding scale. Bowlers, fieldsmen and wicket-keepers can also rack up bonus points for outstanding hauls.

Similar incentive schemes will apply at under-13 and under-11 levels with scores of 50 and 40 or more, respectively, producing bonuses for their teams.

And it seems as if more young cricketers than ever will have a chance to take part in the experiment with 13 teams entered into the under-11 leagues, 16 at under-13 level and 10 at under-15 level. Under-11 games will take place on Sunday mornings and under-13 fixtures on Tuesday evenings.

Teams will not lose their star players to calls from the county, Dirkin confirmed.

"We are putting club junior cricket above county cricket," he said. "County matches are being arranged around the club fixtures."