SAME game, new name is the verdict of Darwen all-rounder Gareth Cordingley as the Northern Premier League's inaugural season passes the half-way point.

The league was granted Premier status by the England and Wales Cricket Board at the start of the summer.

However, the only tangible changes so far have been a switch to a 110-over format and an earlier start time of 1pm.

And even that hasn't been a step forward, according to Cordingley.

He said: "I don't really like it myself. All it's doing is drawing the game out.

"There's no real change. People are just doing what they were doing last year.

"It's just the same game expanded by 10 overs."

Cordingley accepts that teams batting first are able to post slightly bigger scores and given time players may adapt better to the hours of play.

But up to now, being chosen as one of the county's two elite leagues hasn't produced any ground-breaking moves.

There has been no noticeable link with the county set-up and as yet there hasn't been an influx of players looking to play at a higher level cricket, according to Cordingley.

"Everything has just been drawn out and after 30 overs we even have a five minute break. It's supposed to give the umpires a rest but by the time you've gone into the pavilion it's time to go out again. "It's just the same Northern League. There haven't been a lot of new players coming in. There's been a few but that happens every year.

"It's a good standard of cricket but there's no real change," he added.

The next stage of development under the guidelines of the ECB is the addition of a feeder league.

But that's a thorny issue and it's far from certain that the Jennings Ribblesdale League will take up the invitation.

"Promotion and relegation might make it competitive at the bottom end of the table but they want to bring in another league and I don't know how they will do that," Cordingley admitted.

At least the new name hasn't put Cordingley out of his stride out in the middle as he's enjoying a prolific season, particularly with the bat which has yielded some 930 runs in league and cup.

However, his performances may not be enough for Darwen to retain their championship crown as they trail leaders Netherfield by 19 points having been hit badly by the weather in recent weeks.

"It's going to be hard work but you never know. At one point last season we were 30 points ahead of St Anne's but they turned it round until the last week when we pulled it back.

"There are a lot of points to play for with up to 15 for a win and if we keep producing we can still be up there.

"But Netherfield are a strong outfit. We're still hoping to challenge, although it depends what Netherfield do," said Cordingley, who is hoping to book a place in the semi-finals of the Slater Cup with victory over Preston at Birch Hall on Saturday.