Heyside aim for a 'stable' footing

RYAN BARNES . . . reasons for Heyside moving to the Greater Manchester Cricket League

HEYSIDE will apply to join the Greater Manchester Cricket League for season 2018.

The Little Hey Street club follow on from Glodwick, Greenfield, Moorside and Royton in switching to the GMCL.

With Littleborough, Middleton, Norden, Rochdale and Walsden heading to the new two-division Lancashire League next season, it leaves 14 clubs in the Pennine Cricket League.

Of those 14, Monton and Weaste have indicated they are bound for the Bolton League or GMCL.

Nine are committed to the PCL - Ashton, Austerlands, Friarmere, Hollinwood, Micklehurst, Oldham, Stayley and Uppermill - while Crompton, Milnrow, Saddleworth, Shaw and Werneth are still considering their options.

Heyside's logic for quitting a competition, which enjoyed its inaugural season only 12 months ago, was explained by first-team captain Ryan Barnes.

He said: "Playing competitive cricket is the key reason - we want to challenge ourselves - and the GMCL gives us that.

"Staying with the Pennine Cricket League is not a viable option for us anymore.

"It's a shame, but we're positive that moving to the GMCL is the right thing to do for Heyside.

"Not only will it provide good, tough cricket, but security as well.

"We've gone from the Saddleworth League, to the CLL, to the Pennine League in a short period - now it requires stability and that's what we'll get."

The time spent on the roads going to games, often used as an argument against joining the GMCL, was dispelled by Barnes.

He added: "I've worked it out and travelling is not an issue. We can get to grounds in 20 or 30 minutes.

"The Twenty20 is regionalised and so is the junior section, which will include the likes of Greenfield and Royton in the future.

"I just hope a few more of the Pennine League clubs will make the move as well.

"The GMCL have very forward-thinking people. The live streaming, for example, that they have introduced this season has been excellent."