League chiefs make right call

COMMON sense prevailed, according to Heyside skipper Ryan Barnes, after the JW Lees Brewery Pennine Cricket League postponed last weekend’s fixtures.

Snow on Friday morning led to the PCL making a “heavy-hearted” call to cancel Saturday and Sunday matches, as well as some junior games.

“The decision has taken into account the already fragile state of many PCL grounds with player safety at the forefront as well as the ethos of quality of cricket over quantity,” said the league statement.

Barnes, a member of the PCL’s players’ steering group, said that opinions were aired through conversations between various sections of the league committee before a conclusion was reached.

CONDITIONS

Austerlands and Moorside were two of the worst-affected grounds, with conditions at the former Saddleworth League clubs more akin to mid-winter.

Barnes went on: “There were discussions going on quite early about what to do, and the general concensous was to call off the matches — it was democracy working.

“There was a good covering of snow on our ground, and although it had gone by Saturday, it would have taken a really good effort to get rid of the standing water.

“The chances are that our ground might not have been fit anyway, so to have lads hanging about for several hours mopping up for no reason when they could have worked or spent time with their families, wouldn’t have been fair.”

Royton captain Denny Hulme agreed. He said: “We had snow on Friday and even though it was reasonably fine on Saturday, we wouldn’t have had enough time to prepare the ground.

“I know a few people had a moan, but they wouldn’t have ben the ones standing outside in the freezing cold for 16 hours (over two matches), playing on substandard tracks.

“It doesn’t make for good cricket and it isn’t much fun for specatotors, either.”

Talks on possible rearrangements of the fixtures will take place at tonight’s league meeting at Middleton CC.

Barnes added: “It makes more sense to rearrange them for later in the year, if possible, when the weather is better.

“We all want to play good quality cricket on decent tracks. That benefits the players and the clubs financially as it is better for sponsors and spectators, who want to see a full day’s play.”