The Western Counties Cricket Association will introduce a new venue for the 2016 series with PHC Field hosting the competition for the first time when the competition starts on July 2.

The competition, run by an interim committee made up of club members until a new body is voted in, is the island’s second oldest counties, dating back more than 50 years.

“This will be another historic occasion for PHC and we look forward to hosting a successful series at Stadium Lane,” Jonathan Ball, the PHC president, said.

“With a new venue we are confident of breathing new life into the series.”

Willow Cuts will begin the defence of their title against Warwick Workmen’s Club, whom they beat in last year’s final by 100 runs.

Home side PHC will play the winners in the second round the following weekend. The remaining two matches will be played in August, with Southampton Rangers playing the winners in the third round on August 6 and Somerset Bridge providing the opposition for the August 20 final.

In 1962 the groundwork was laid for the Western Counties Cricket competition which started the following year with four charter clubs, Warwick, Southampton Rangers, Somerset Bridge and Willow Cuts.

Willow Cuts emerged as the first champions to win the Warren Simmons Cup.

Initially, all the matches were played on Thursdays at the home of the champions, but lately the venue has alternated between Southampton Oval and White Hill Field. Cal Waldron and Kim Jackson have been running the competition as executive members since last year with help from club representatives.

“We are looking forward to PHC hosting the 2016 series,” Jackson said. “The current committee believes strongly in sharing the venues among the member clubs and PHC is a great option to support the Western Counties in raising the profile of the series.

“PHC has experienced tremendous success in their community events since reopening their field and we are looking to bring that same community vibe back into the Western Counties. We encourage the community to book a spot early to join us in another historic moment for the Western Counties Cricket Association.”

The host club is selling 10x10ft spots for $100 per match or $350 for the four-match series. Admission is $10 and $5 for seniors, with children under 12 admitted free.

“There’s going to be approximately 40 spots that are available and we expect them to be sold out to the membership of the clubs involved in the Western Counties,” Ball said. “It’s been a good response without an official announcement but now we expect it to pick up.

“I think it’s going to be a good sporting, community atmosphere. We’re looking to build on the success we had at the field on Good Friday and hopefully we can replicate that for the county series.

“The initial plan was for us to host it in 2015 but we sustained damage to our wicket.”