CLL clubs urged to check pro visas

LAKE Garage CLL clubs have been advised to check the visas of their professional cricketers.

Walsden have discovered the document of Janaka Gunaratne expires on Sunday, September 14 which rules him out of the final league fixture.

Should Gunaratne play against Rochdale that day, and he overstays his visit, he risks being barred from returning to this country.

Walsden club official Allan Stuttard added that Gunaratne has told him all the other Sri Lankan players he knows are similarly affected.

Clubs are being asked to check the visas of their professionals and if there is a widespread problem, CLL officials will contact the League Cricket Conference to try to get them to resolve the matter.


NORDEN have escaped punishment after a complaint by Monton & Weaste that made little effort to get their pitch fit for their league fixture.

Monton & Weaste’s Trent Scott had accused Norden players and officials of being more interested in watching Rochdale’s League Two play-off semi-final against Darlington on television than getting the ground ready for the rain-affected fixture.

A reduced overs game was eventually played ending in a draw, but Scott added he believes play could have got under way at 2pm and only 30 minutes after the scheduled start.

As the umpires had not instructed the Norden players to work on the pitch, the CLL management committee decided it could not take any disciplinary action against them.