Professionals may be a thing of the past

ROYTON CC professional Luke Procter (pictured) has moved another step up the cricketing ladder. The 20-year-old local lad, a member of the Lancashire CC academy last season, has been awarded a scholarship with the county side. That means the all-rounder, who played for Lancashire second X1 several times over the summer, will be paid for his services and is one step nearer his ambition of becoming a full-time cricketer.

PROFESSIONALS could be banned from playing in the Armstrongs Office Furniture Saddleworth and District Cricket League from next year.

In a break from tradition, paid men will become a thing of the past if Friarmere’s proposal receives enough support at the annual meeting on Thursday, October 30.

Due to mounting red tape, financial constraints and general hassle, many local league clubs are finding the process of signing a pro increasingly difficult.

The West View outfit’s solution is to do away with them altogether, and instead they have proposed that clubs will be able to register two overseas amateurs.

A glance at the latest statistics does begs the question if pros enhance a club’s standing.

Only three out of 11 in the league last season, Heyside’s Roelof Hugo, Rehan Rafiq of Stayley and Hollinwood’s Aamir Bashir, averaged more than 40 with the bat.

Moves are also afoot to change the disciplinary procedure.

At present, players reported for misdemeanours are called before a panel made up of members of the league’s executive committee, who will decide whether the person is guilty of the offence.

The executive want to scrap hearings and instead the player will automatically be suspended for the requisite number of games stated in a tariff, which will be printed in the handbook.

Players will be able to appeal, at a cost of £20, which they will get back if successful.

Other significant suggestions — a total of 27 will be put to the vote — include reserve days for the semi-finals and final of the Tanner and Moore Cups, providing the ties do not start on the original date.

And that the finalists in both knock-out competitions, along with the team finishing highest in the league, are given byes in the first round the following season.

In the event of the finalists finishing first and second, as was the case this year with Bamford Fieldhouse and Heyside in the Tanner Cup, then the team in third would receive a bye.

Players selected for the league’s senior representative team for the Inter-League Trophy will be barred from playing in any other game on the same day, if they have made themselves unavailable for the league side.

Also, if any team is found to have fielded an ineligible player then they will be deducted all points in respect of the game or games the player played in.

The opposing team would then receive the average number of points gained by the winning sides on that day.

The league would start on the third weekend in April to fall in line with other leagues.

Umpires are looking for an increase in fees of £5 to £30 and £40, from £35, if they are on their own, while clubs who do not send in their scoresheets on time will be deducted five points for each offence.

In a bid to counter the increase in food prices, the cost of a tea for each player will go up by 50p to £3 if Saddleworth’s proposal goes through.

And any ball bowled down the leg side will be called a wide if clubs give Bamford Fieldhouse’s suggestion the go ahead.

This rule was ditched at the 2006 annual meeting.




INTER-LEAGUE DRAWS
THE Saddleworth and District Cricket League have been handed a tough away task in the first round of next season’s Inter-League Trophy.

After falling at the first hurdle in this year’s competition — they were beaten by the Ribblesdale League — they have been pitted against holders, the Bolton League.

The CLL are are also on their travels, with a tie against the North Lancs & Cumbria League.

In the Inter-League Colts competition, runners-up in 2008, the Saddleworth League, are in the same group as the North Lancs & South Cumbria, the Bolton League and the Lancashire County League.

The CLL’s pool features the Bolton Association, the Manchester Association and the Ribblesdale League.

Dates for matches are to be arranged.

Draws are —

Inter-League Trophy, first-round draw: (A) Ribblesdale League v Lancashire County League; (B) North Lancs & South Cumbria v CLL; (C) Manchester Association v Bolton Association; (D) Bolton League v Saddleworth and District Cricket League.

Second round: A v B; D v C.

Inter-League Colts competition, group ‘A’: Bolton Association; CLL, Manchester Association; Ribblesdale League. Group ‘B’: Saddleworth and District Cricket League; North Lancs & South Cumbria; Bolton League; Lancashire County League.

ROYTON CC professional Luke Procter (pictured) has moved another step up the cricketing ladder.

The 20-year-old local lad, a member of the Lancashire CC academy last season, has been awarded a scholarship with the county side. That means the all-rounder, who played for Lancashire second X1 several times over the summer, will be paid for his services and is one step nearer his ambition of becoming a full-time cricketer.

Procter will fulfil his 2009 contract with Royton but will excuse himself if needed for Lancashire’s first team in a weekend game.

Procter, 21 next June, has been in Australia for three weeks, playing for Perth side Swanbourne.

In that time he has had scores of 125, 100 not out and 95 not out. He returns to England shortly before the start of next season.