DEVON'S top 10 clubs have voted to play straight win-or-lose cricket next season for the first time in the history of the Devon League.

Since the league was formed in 1972, clubs have played a format of the game that allows for a draw if the side batting second can't win the match but avoid being bowled out.

The format was designed to replicate the sort of cricket played for more than 100 years in Devon before the advent of league cricket – and was encouraged by the England & Wales Cricket Board right up until last year.

The ECB paid leagues a cash bonus to distribute between clubs for sticking with old-fashioned 'draw' cricket. The reason was to replicate the skills needed to win matches at Minor Counties level and above, where teams have to bowl the opposition out to win.

A win-lose experiment was trialled in the Birmingham League Premier section last season and proved a success.

Devon League Premier Division clubs have been hankering to ditch 'draw cricket' for many years and for 2012 only they have their wish on a trial basis.

In come 10-over limits per bowler, power plays, fielding circles and net run-rate to decide the winner in rain-affected games. The Duckworth-Lewis formula had no takers.

Initially, only Premier Division clubs are switching to win-lose cricket – and they will have to vote next year to retain or return to draw games.

There was very little support for retaining winning-draw cricket when the time came to vote at the league meeting. Only Torquay and Exeter, who won't be affected next season as they are in the A Division, expressed serious reservations.

Exeter's Bruce Coleman said without the incentive to bat for a draw when there was no chance of winning, matches could become meaningless.

"If you are batting second and lose early wickets there is no point making the effort and the game could be over in 20 overs," warned Coleman.

However, representatives from Sidmouth, Heathcoat, Exmouth and Budleigh Salterton all spoke in favour and carried the day by a 7-3 margin. Only Premier clubs voted, at the request of the management committee.

Curiously, when Topsham and Kenn teamed up to ask for shorter games in the D and E Division second XI competitions, there was overwhelming opposition to them going it alone in 40-over games. Only five of the 60-odd clubs voted in favour and the motion was lost.

Two of the more significant changes agreed on the night related to the points awarded in drawn games – still applicable outside the top flight – and restrictions on overseas players.

To qualify for two draw points a side batting second has to reach two-thirds of the winning target. In future, the side batting first will get eight points rather than six if they keep the chasing team below that mark.

Teams agreed to close a loophole which allows players with EU passports but born outside the Union to bypass the current rules of one overseas player per club.

"Last season we had Hungarians, Poles and all sorts playing, who were nothing more than Australians or New Zealanders whose grandfathers had emigrated," said league chairman Joe Clowes.