TEMPORARY PLAYERS CONVERSION [TMP] & PLAYER DATABASE CLEANUP
The ECB Yorkshire Premier League North is encouraging all clubs to begin converting players currently listed as Temporary Members (TMP) on Play-Cricket into fully registered club members who can log into Play Cricket using their own username and password. While the requirement for all players competing in YPLN cricket to be fully registered members of their club's Play-Cricket website does not come into force until 10 April 2027, the league believes clubs will find it far easier to complete this work during the cricket season when players are regularly attending training sessions and matches.
The initiative forms part of a wider drive to improve the accuracy, governance and integrity of player records across the league.
Why Is This Important?
Play-Cricket is increasingly the definitive record of a player's cricketing history and registration status. Players should have a permanent, fully registered profile rather than being listed as a Temporary Member.
Full registration allows leagues and clubs to:
• Verify player eligibility.
• Support safeguarding requirements.
• Ensure compliance with regulations relating to overseas players.
• Maintain accurate player statistics and disciplinary records.
• Prevent duplicate player profiles.
• Improve the accuracy of registrations and transfers.
• Reduce administrative workload for clubs and league officials.
The move also helps ensure that players have ownership of their own records and can manage their personal details directly through Play-Cricket.
What Clubs Need to Do
When registering a player for your club for the first time, clubs should ensure that the player has first gone to www.playcricket.com and clicked the "Register Now" button to set up a profile for themselves, with their own username and password. Further guidance on this can be found at https://play-cricket.ecb.co.uk/hc/en-us/articles/115004175645-The-Play-Cricket-Sign-up-Process
If you have players who are currently TMP members please see the guidance at https://www.yplncricket.co.uk/general-information/heritage/converting-a-tmp-player-to-a-registered-player/ for the two main ways to convert them.
YPLN will not approve registrations or transfers where a player remains flagged as a Temporary Member (TMP), except in certain circumstances involving junior players.
Clubs are therefore encouraged to identify players currently recorded as Temporary Members and begin the process of converting them to full members as soon as possible.
Junior Players
The league recognises that some junior players may initially be recorded as Temporary Members.
However, once a player no longer qualifies as a junior, clubs must ensure that they create their own Play-Cricket account and become a fully registered member. This ensures that the player's cricketing record continues accurately into senior cricket and avoids the creation of duplicate profiles later in their playing career.
The Benefits of Converting TMP Players
Eligibility and Fair Play
A fully registered Play-Cricket profile helps ensure players are correctly registered and eligible to play. It reduces the risk of registration disputes and helps leagues administer player eligibility rules fairly and consistently.
Safeguarding
Maintaining accurate player records is an important part of cricket's safeguarding framework. Full registration provides an audit trail and ensures essential contact information is available. For junior players, it also supports the maintenance of appropriate parental and emergency contact details.
Overseas Player Compliance
For overseas players, accurate registration records assist clubs, leagues and governing bodies in ensuring that individuals are participating in cricket under the correct immigration permissions and visa arrangements where applicable.
Accurate Statistics and Playing Records
A fully registered account ensures that a player's cricketing record follows them throughout their career. Match performances, career statistics, disciplinary records and playing history can all be accurately maintained across multiple seasons and clubs.
Preventing Duplicate Profiles
One of the most common issues encountered within Play-Cricket is the creation of duplicate player profiles.
When players remain as Temporary Members for extended periods, there is an increased risk that additional accounts will be created when they move clubs, return to cricket after a break, or create their own account later.
By converting TMP players now, clubs can help ensure that each player has a single permanent profile containing their complete playing history, statistics and registration record.
Why Clubs Should Act Now
Although the deadline is not until April 2027, YPLN believes clubs will find the process significantly easier if they begin now.
Players are currently attending training sessions and matches on a regular basis, making it easier for club officials to speak directly with individuals who still appear as Temporary Members and assist them with creating a Play-Cricket account where required.
Waiting until the close season could create unnecessary administration and make it more difficult to contact players who need to update their details.
Many clubs will find that a significant proportion of their TMP players can be converted in just a few minutes during the course of a normal training evening or match day.
As clubs undertake this work, they are also encouraged to identify and merge duplicate player profiles where they exist and to remove former players from their Play-Cricket membership records in accordance with league rules and club procedures. Maintaining accurate player records helps ensure correct player availability, reduces administrative errors and supports good data management practices.
YPLN Support Available
To assist clubs with this transition, YPLN has allocated league officers to work directly with clubs across each of the league's four regional structures.
If your club requires assistance in identifying Temporary Members, updating Play-Cricket records, or understanding the registration process, please contact your regional lead:
Ebor Divisions
Matt Harris assistant@yplncricket.co.uk
Galtres Divisions
Simon Hird auditmanager@yplncricket.co.uk
Holderness Divisions
Steve Berry fixtures@yplncricket.co.uk
Beckett Divisions
Tom Hendry deputy@yplncricket.co.uk
These officers will be available to provide guidance and support throughout the transition period.
League Requirement from 2027
By 10 April 2027, all clubs must ensure that every player who competes in Yorkshire Premier League North cricket is a fully registered member on their club's Play-Cricket website.
Clubs are therefore encouraged to begin reviewing their records now and converting Temporary Members wherever possible, ensuring that player data across the league remains accurate, compliant and fit for the future.
The earlier clubs begin this process, the easier it will be to complete.
Player Database Cleanup
As part of an ongoing review of player registrations, YPLN intends to remove league registrations for players who have not appeared in YPLN cricket since 1 May 2022.
Under YPLN League Rules, clubs are responsible for maintaining accurate and up-to-date player records. However, it is recognised that many club databases contain a significant number of historic or inactive player registrations which no longer reflect current participation.
The proposed action would only remove a player's registration with YPLN. It would not remove the player from their club's Play-Cricket membership database, nor would it affect any club-held records, subscriptions, membership information, statistics, or historical playing records.
The purpose of this exercise is to:
• Improve the accuracy of the YPLN active player database.
• Reduce the number of inactive registrations held within league records.
• Improve player registration administration and reporting.
• Assist clubs and the league in maintaining accurate player information.
Before any registrations are removed, YPLN will provide clubs with a minimum of 14 days' notice. During this period, clubs will have the opportunity to review the list of affected players and advise the league of any registrations that should be retained.
Whilst it is anticipated that very few issues will arise, clubs may wish to retain certain inactive registrations for administrative reasons, including outstanding subscription matters or where a player is expected to return to YPLN cricket in the near future. Clubs will be given the opportunity to identify any such cases before the process is completed.