Moment of truth looms

SLACK Lane, the home of Friarmere Cricket Club, could be hosting Pennine League action in 2016.

CRICKET: 

DEADLINE day is nearing for clubs in our two leading local cricket leagues.

Many clubs have now decided whether they will join the new Greater Manchester League or stay with the amalgamation of the Lake Garage CLL and SWB Commercials Saddleworth and District Cricket League in the proposed new Pennine League.

But there are several — Royton, Radcliffe, Monton and Weaste and Norden (CLL), and Austerlands, Friarmere, Greenfield, Hollinwood, Saddleworth, Shaw and Uppermill (Saddleworth League) — who have yet to decide. Some are expected to do so within days of tonight’s CLL-Saddleworth merger meeting at Milnrow Cricket Club. Others may wait until June 29 - the day before the deadline.

Royton spokesman Ian McGeary, who last week in the Chronicle described Royton as “50-50” over the merger or GM league, said: “Nothing has changed. We will be going to the meeting at Milnrow and hopefully as many clubs as possible will put their cards on the table.

“We will take on board what they have to say and report back to our committee, who will probably meet again to make a final decision — one of the most important in our club’s history.

Radcliffe chairman Colin Jones said: “We will be having a full members meeting on June 29 at which we will vote which way to go. The feeling at an earlier meeting was that the club is geographically distanced by the CLL-Saddleworth League merger.

“We could end up there, the GM league, or the new Bolton set-up.” The last of those is an amalgamation of Bolton League and Bolton Association.

Of the Saddleworth League clubs, Uppermill met on Tuesday and is swaying towards the Pennine League, though no firm commitment has been made.

A prominent Friarmere official told the Chronicle joining the GM league is a “definite no”, their preferred choice being the Pennine League. If that competition doesn’t take off, they will instead try to rejoin the Huddersfield League, of which the club was a founding member.

Hollinwood was granted time-out from the Saddleworth League this season due to a player shortage, but is “99 per cent certain” to have two teams for 2016 and intends to join the Pennine League.

Greenfield is holding a players’ meeting on Monday, then a special meeting the following day.

Though chairman Richard Hepworth wouldn’t comment on which way the vote might go, he said the club is keen for a format involving “promotion and relegation cricket”.

Saddleworth players get together on Monday to express their views, after which the Well-i-Hole club’s management committee will make a final decision.

Austerlands’ future league plans will be known after they meet next Thursday, while Shaw members will make their intentions known after a show of hands on Saturday.



THESE are the intentions of clubs for next season, as the Chronicle understood going to press —


Lake Garage CLL


ASHTON - Pennine

CLIFTON - GM

CROMPTON - Pennine

ELTON - GM

HEYSIDE - Pennine

HEYWOOD - GM

LITTLEBOROUGH - Pennine

MIDDLETON - Pennine

MILNROW - Pennine

MONTON and WEASTE - tba

NORDEN - tba

OLDHAM - Pennine

RADCLIFFE - tba

ROCHDALE - Pennine

ROYTON - tba

UNSWORTH - GM

WALSDEN - Pennine

WERNETH - Pennine




Saddleworth League


AUSTERLANDS - tba

DROYLSDEN - GM

FRIARMERE - tba

GLODWICK - GM

GREENFIELD- tba

HOLLINWOOD - tba

MICKLEHURST - Pennine

MOORSIDE - GM

SADDLEWORTH - tba

SHAW - tba

SOUTH WEST MANCHESTER - GM

STAYLEY - Pennine

UPPERMILL - tba

WHALLEY RANGE - GM

WYTHENSHAWE - GM

Pennine=Pennine League

GM=Greater Manchester



tba=to be announced