Scoring a century could take on a whole new meaning for clubs in this year's National Village Cricket Championship.

Instead of trying to hit a ton with the bat, players could find themselves queing up to make a 147 or aiming for a 180 under radical new proposals.

If matches are unable to be played due to the foot and mouth crisis, tournament organisers Cricketer International have told clubs they can decide the outcome by playing an alternative game.

That could mean darts, dominoes, pool or snooker - or simply tossing a coin. But it will only happen if the home and away grounds are inaccessible and a neutral venue cannot be found.

Competition organiser Sue White said: "If a match can't be played we want teams to get together at the nearest pub and have a game of bar billiards or darts or something else.

"Village cricket is a bit of fun, the whole ethos of the championship is to meet new opponents and new friends so if they can't play cricket they should do something else.

"At the end of the day if they don't want to do that they will have to toss a coin, or we will toss it for them.

"It's very sad but we've got to look after the countryside. The farmers come first."

The first round, which includes around 40 teams from north Yorkshire, is due to be played on Sunday, April 29. Clubs have two weeks from that date to get a result, as they will in all future rounds.

The final of the annual tournament, sponsored by Wadworth 6X, is played at Lord's. Two years ago north Yorkshire club Woodhouse Grange earned the right to grace the home of cricket.

Updated: 12:38 Thursday, April 05, 2001