Outlining plans for a future together

ALL will be revealed at Emirates Old Trafford tonight when club officials and competition administrators get their hands on the Greater Manchester cricket league prospectus.

The document is the work of 60 people and numerous meetings. By changing the face of local league cricket, it aims to safeguard the future of the game by bringing together long-established clubs under one umbrella

Some details of the structure are out in the public domain already. Each division would have 12 teams, headed by an elite section. There would be two feeder divisions followed by groups of teams placed together in geographical areas. There will also be promotion and relegation.

Information on the make-up of junior cricket, disciplinary procedures, league rules and cups will be disclosed tonight.

Almost all clubs in the Saddleworth and District Cricket League are for it — the competition may take off next year if there is enough support, — but that is not the case throughout the area. A recent show of hands from Central Lancashire League clubs saw the majority keen to maintain the status quo.



FRIARMERE will have a new name among their ranks for this weekend’s clash — and he comes recommended by West Indian Test players Tino Best and Jason Holder.

Darius Cummins (22) touched down today and goes straight into the side for the visit of Greenfield on Sunday. A former under-19s Barbados team-mate of Holder, he is a front-line batsman who bowls left-arm spin.

Crucially, Cummins has experience of conditions over here, playing in Kent. But patrolling the outfield in the “Garden of England’ is a far cry from Slack Lane and its keen northerly winds.

“I’ve managed to find him a nice woolly cricketing jumper to wear, because I think he might need it,” said a Friarmere official.



THIS season’s batch of overseas amateurs have already made their mark. Uppermill’s Daelon Campbell hit 69 in the five-wicket loss against Glodwick. West Indian Alton Beckford was the mainstay of the Micklehurst innings, scoring 44 in his side’s all-out total of 160 at home to victors Whalley Range, for whom opposite number, Australian Daniel Abel, took six for 25.



GLODWICK and Shaw first teams have fallen foul of slow over rates and each have been fined £25.

The clubs have also been warned that any repeat could result in a points deduction.

And in another clear warning to clubs, South West Manchester firsts were hit with a £10 penalty for not supplying a scorer.



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