Photo / Pukekohe Metro Facebook

The Premier cricket season in Counties Manukau is set to get underway on October 16 with the Inder Lynch T20 competition featuring eight teams.

The six full-time Premier clubs (Pukekohe Metro, Manukau City, Karaka, Papakura, Weymouth and Waiuku) will be joined by a second Manukau City side and a combined Counties Manukau XI, comprised of the best of the rest.

All other senior grades will begin on October 30 while the junior grades from year 3-4 through to year 9-11 will also start on that date.

Year 1-2 juniors will start on November 5.

Due to Auckland still being in lockdown, Counties Manukau Cricket has confirmed the above start dates are tentative and subject to the COVID situation.

“For organisational and player safety reasons, we want there to be at least two weeks between when players/clubs can start congregating (ie Alert Level 2) and the season’s start,” Counties Manukau Cricket Manager Peter Zanzottera said.

He acknowledged that the Premier start date is the most likely to be impacted by COVID.

“We do have alternate plans in place if this is the case, and will be communicating these directly to the six Premier clubs as the COVID restrictions dates become clearer.”