Advertisement
Premier League is way forward
Reporter: KEVIN RICHARDSON
Date online: 09/07/2009
Cricket
SURELY the time has come to give Premier League cricket a go.
A properly structured competition which encompasses Lancashire or Greater Manchester would benefit the game.
Other counties have taken the courageous step and it has worked. How about here?
I’ve watched the Saddleworth and District Cricket League for 10 years and it has become far too predictable.
Bamford Fieldhouse, containing their half-a-dozen or so ex-professionals, are on course to win their third straight championship. The way they are going, Andy Barton can dish out the beers by the end of August.
The other 12 teams are playing for second place. It’s a situation, that suits neither Bamford nor any of their rivals.
Tradition can be a good thing, but on occasions the best policy is to be bold.
Put the cream of Lancashire or the Greater Manchester club cricket scene in one pot, followed by conferences in a pyramid system, or divide the county into four sections.
Competitive cricket for all, that’s what we want.
Mark Stafford, president of Shaw CC, would welcome dialogue on the subject.
Speaking personally and not on behalf of his club, he said: “We can’t afford to do nothing. If there is an opportunity to talk about it, then great.
“We need something to take us forward from where we, because I’m worried about local league cricket.
“We need a consistent and sustainable league, which may mean cutting back at both ends of the ability spectrum.
“At the moment Bamford Fieldhouse win everything, but is that good for the league as a whole? I don’t think so.
“There is also the fear that if Bamford leave the league, the likes of Saddleworth, Heyside and Greenfield may follow suit, then what would happen to the rest us.”
Peter Skuse has spent a decade at Saddleworth as captain and professional.
He reckons the idea of a Greater Manchester Premier League could well get off the ground.
Skuse (pictured inset) said: “I can see a lot of stumbling blocks and it would have to be thought out very carefully.
“I’m all for taking cricket forward, but it has to have Lancashire Cricket Board approval. It would be sad to see other leagues break up.
“If four or five leagues were involved in a Greater Manchester Premier League, then I can see it working, but to include all of Lancashire would create problems.
“I know a couple of guys who play for Darwen in the Northern League and when they have an away game they set off at 11am and sometimes don’t get home until 10pm.”
It’s fine playing against the likes of Paddy McKeown and Simon Marshall week in week out, but it’s nice to beat them once in a while.
Come on. Let’s turn the talk into concrete proposals.
BAMFORD Fieldhouse will host this season’s Tanner Cup final on Sunday, August 16.
Uppermill captain Matt Taylor called “heads” but the coin came down tails.
Have Your Say
I think the key here is that it needs discussing and find out what all the clubs in the Saddleworth league think.
My personal view is that a pyramid structure is the way forward and would support a Greater Manchester proposal. Promotion and relegation would increase competition and provide top quality cricket at the top level.
Some may not want to lose the tradition of the Saddleworth League, maybe keep a Saddleworth League Cup to replenish old rivalries?
Unlucky Matt.But your still in my league side in that all rounders spot. ( if only you could field!!!)
Ten or twelve club divisions, there wouldnt be a Saddleworth League club it the first three divisions.
Bradshaw, Didsbury, Greenmount,Hyde, Littleborough, Middleton, Monton, Prestwich, Rochdale,Unsworth, Walsden, Wigan,
matt taylor you should know tails never fails!!!!!!!!
Coppice and Peterboroughblue. With your blinkered views, leagues maybe be excluded. I would say that under the pyrymid system teams would find their level, that could be in the premier division or one of the lower leagues, only results and time would tell.
After seeing a couple of games in the Saddleworth League I think the leagues ambition would be more realistic if they mooted a merger with the Site Electrical North Manchester League.
They could form a The Manchester Premier league Division 6.
All well and good talking about it, but will anything ever be put in stone and proposals drawn up between the leagues willing to participate.
My view with C.L.L/ S.D.C.L/ Bolton League/ Lancs County/ Prem Division
Farnworth, Farnworth S.C, Bamford Fieldhouse, Heywood, Norden, Denton West, Glossop, Greenmount, Monton and Weaste, Denton St Lawrence, Walkden, and one more from Littleborough, Rochdale, Kearsley, Little Lever, Heyside, Cheetham Hill, Prestwich..
Avril,
You can forget any clubs that dont have accreditation, the ECB wont consider them
I think you will find this has come up because it is being discussed at the LCB. Some informal discussions had taken place with a SDCL club member and the unofficial approach was discussed at the recent SDCL meeting.
From what I have heard the SDCL, Man. Ass and Lancs Cnty were going to be approached with the CLL not being keen. Spliting the teams would have to go off league placings in the respective league at the end of the season. But over time all teams would find their level.
I don't know what Kevin Richardson means when he says, "Other counties have taken the courageous step and it has worked." In what way has it worked? Has it raised the standards of clubs, or has it just sorted them in a different order? I've been to a Hyde 1st. XI game on a Saturday afternoon, and there's nobody watching. The bar's not even open till after tea.
I bet Coppice is associated with the CLL. he seems the usual arrogant type with blinkered eyes. What has he ever achieved. not much I am willing to wager. As usual there are always better players sat on the sidelines seeing the game through the bottom of a pint glass
What about a merger between the Saddleworth League and the OBKA (Oldham Breakaway Kabaddi Alliance). Bring together two sports bit like darts and crib.
Great to see moorside doing well this saeson!
Great piece Kevin, having played and watched cricket up and down the country for the best part of 25 years it has become more apparent that the sdlc and the cll are far from anywhere near as good as the majority of lancs/yorks/and cheshire leagues
The problem is that for the better quality league cricketers they have to travel to clubs outside of the local area to play more competitive type of cricket so all that local leagues are left with is very average league/village cricketers setting the standard.
THe north staffs league sets a very good example
7 divisions, promotion and relegation, 1st and 2nd teams play in one of the divisions rather than the reverse fixture. 10 teams in each division. which gives quality rather than quantity(less league fixtures), the modern way of life does not react well to commiting all your summer weekends to playing meaningless games of cricket, with nothing to play for come the end of June. how can this be good for the local game!
At this stage of the season in the CLL only 4 clubs(heywood,norden,monton and rochdale) have something to play for, and in the SDCL there are only 2 teams (bamford and uppermill)does this not make you think that it is time for change all the rest are wasteing their time.
PeterboroughBlue
Why is Droylsden CC not on your list ?
Thats hardly showing loyalty to your own employer is it !
Atleast the Cll are looking towards change by spliting into two divisions,the saddleworth league have people like bob weedon writing letters, having ago at people for trying to move the LEAGUE forward,BELIEVE YOU ME YOUDONTKNOWWOTYOURDOIN ANOTHERBOB.
" we turned out 3 teams at weekend" and non of them are any good.FACT
having played in the cll and saddleworth league it is obvious that the cll is a better standard but the gap is definatly begining to close. merging the two leagues would be a great start in improving the local standard of cricket.something that is certin the saddleworth is stuck in a very big hole, it must move with the times and change!! leg side wides and inner rings would improve the game straight away.its easy the leagues merge and have to divisions! simples!
If the cream of Lancashire or the Greater Manchester club cricket scene are put in one pot then ALL the Saddleworth League clubs would be excluded.
FACT
By Coppice @ 09/07/2009 12:28:15
Report this comment (8857)