Kate poised to create CLL history

Kate Cross

KATE Cross is in line to make Lake Garage Central Lancashire League history on Sunday.

The 23-year-old England international has been cleared by the CLL Management Committee to turn out for Heywood in their fixture at Clifton on the opening day of the season.

Cross, the daughter of former Athletic striker David and sister of Heywood first-team star and former captain Bobby, will be selected if she passes her big test against the men in tomorrow’s friendly at Middleton.

Cross would be the first woman to play in a CLL first-team match, although she did turn out in a second-team fixture last season when she took seven wickets – ironically against Clifton.

Bobby Cross said: “If she plays it might raise a few eyebrows among traditionalists, but the league has given its permission.”



Heyside will be making their bow in the CLL and have landed an opening day derby against Werneth at Little Hey Street.

Werneth will have a deputy professional as 23-year-old Sri Lankan Kaushalya Gajasinghe’s arrival has been delayed after he was provisionally named in the country’s ‘A’ team squad for summer internationals against Pakistan and South Africa.

He is expected to arrive in England for Werneth’s second fixture against Radcliffe on Saturday, May 2.

Werneth have secured the services of another Sri Lankan, Saliya Saman, who is the contracted paid man for Millom CC in the North Lancashire and Cumbria League.

Millom have no fixture on Sunday so the right-hand batsman steps into the breach.

Elsewhere in the Championship, Oldham will hope to make a winning start at home to Radcliffe, but Crompton have an open date and must wait to begin their campaign.

Royton finished fifth in the Premier Division in 2014 and will be looking for even better with a strong squad this time around. They begin their campaign with a fixture against Rochdale at Redbrook.

All matches start at 1pm.