VENTNOR have been refused permission to play in the top flight of ECB Southern Electric Premier League cricket next year.

Although they won the Division 2 championship by a comfortable margin this summer, their unique Steephill bowl has not attracted a high enough accreditation grading for the Island club to be promoted into the First Division.

Ex-Hampshire star Adrian Aymes' Hursley Park, who finished runners-up in Division 2 this year, will be promoted in their place.

Premier League chairman Alan Bundy explained: "We normally like to reward success on the field and, in Ventnor's case, the club has done superbly well, climbing from the very bottom rung of the Hampshire League pyramid in 1993 to the level they have now achieved.

"I can therefore understand the club's considerable disappointment with recent events.

"However, since joining the Premier League in 2001, Ventnor have been informed that, unless considerable civil works were undertaken at Steephill, the ground would not attract the 'silver with gold potential' level of accreditation needed to play Division 1 cricket.

"In fact, last season the grading of their ground was 'bronze with silver potential' - two gradings below that required."

On the strength of Ventnor's championship win, the ground was re-visited by the Hampshire Cricket Board's grounds and facilities team.

The Board's findings were such that no change in Ventnor's 2004 grading was recommended.

Mr Bundy said promotion to any league within the ECB Premier cricket set up required the accreditation of that particular league to be met, as well as playing strength.

"If, in any instance, accreditation is deemed not to be met, the SPL have no alternative but to enforce the requirements," Bundy added.

There are also problems with regard to the actual playing area in the Steephill bowl and the height of the sightscreens at the steeply banked St Boniface Down end of the ground.

"The off-field facilities at Ventnor are truly first class and the pitches are pretty good," Bundy added.

It is understood the boundary distance is insufficient at the northern Down end, and in an east/west direction only enables the use three pitches for nine Premier League home games.

The aptly-namd Steephill lies in a one-time quarry, with bowlers descending a steep incline at both ends.

The contours are such that the sightscreens at the northern road end are some way above the bowler's hand at the point of delivery, making them effectively redundant.

"Being one of the ECB's accredited competitions, the Southern Premier League makes every effort to ensure the accreditation policy for grounds and youth accord with the rules set down by Lord's and, to this end, engaged the HCB to act as an independent ajudicator," Mr Bundy explained.

Ventnor's loss is undoubtledly Hursley Park's gain, with their skipper Adrian Aymes, the former Hampshire cricketer, celebrating the club's new found status.

"Naturally, we commiserate with Ventnor, but I targeted promotion in two seasons when I returned to The Quarters at the start of 2003 and now we've made it," he said.

"It's climaxed a great year for Hursley as our 2nd XI has been promoted into Hampshire League, County Division 1 and our third team has also gone up."

Aymes will now weigh up his playing options for a new season in the Premier League's top flight.