Ball-change move receives support

THE CLL is exploring the possibility of having a new ball supplier for the 2009 season.

A number of clubs are unhappy with the durability of the balls which Readers have supplied for the last three years.

And a proposal to renew the Readers deal for a further three seasons was stumped at the monthly meeting of clubs.

Heywood's Bob Dearden opposed the rubber-stamping of the new agreement.

He proposed that rival firm Dukes be approached for a quote and also asked to supply a number of balls which can be used on a trial basis in end-of-season games in which nothing is at stake.

Dearden claimed the Dukes ball keeps a better shape and are in a better condition to hand down to second and third teams.

Several other clubs also voiced reservations about the Reader balls and it was agreed to approach Dukes.




WERNETH have been fined by the CLL for having only 10 players in a second-team match against Heywood.






MIDDLETON'S Andrew Deakin was handed a two-match ban, suspended until the end of the season, by the Towncroft club after misbehaving in a recent match.



The CLL decided to take no further action after hearing of the disciplinary measures taken by Middleton.




LITTLEBOROUGH have been fined and reprimanded by the CLL after failing to fulfil an under-13 fixture against Bury.



On the same day, the Hare Hill club's juniors took part in the Radcliffe Junior Festival.

CLL chairman Howard Dronsfield has criticised clubs for failing to nominate players for a recent second team representative game against the Bolton League for which the league struggled to raise a team.

Clubs were asked for nominees and only a handful of them replied.

Mr Dronsfield said he had heard from players who had told him they would have been happy to represent the league had they known of the fixture.

He said: "We are finding it harder and harder to fulfil fixtures and it is disappointing when we hear from players that would have been happy to play for the league.”




WERNETH are the only local team through to the last eight of the CLL under-18 Taylor Cup knock-out after receiving a first-round bye.



Royton, Oldham and Crompton all fell at the first hurdle, although Crompton were unlucky as they lost in a bowl-out at the stumps following their rain-affected tie at Milnrow.

Oldham lost by 39 runs at Heywood, who scored 109 all out before dismissing The Pollards side for 70, Dale Latham taking five for 15.

Royton were shot out for 25 runs at Clifton, where they suffered a 10-wicket defeat.

Middleton beat Littleborough by five runs at Towncroft. They made 132 all out before dismissing the visitors for 127.




CROMPTON pair Aqib Zulfiqar and Younis Khan and Matthew Taylor from Werneth have been named in the CLL under-18 team for their final group game in the J W Lees Lancashire Inter-League Competition at Westhoughton on Sunday.