Readers respond to Premier League call

REACTION has been largely positive to the idea of a Lancashire or Greater Manchester Premier League.

Judging by the response of our readers, the scheme would promote more competitive cricket through promotion and relegation.

But Peterborough Blue and Coppice say clubs from the Saddleworth League wouldn’t be good enough to take their place in the top-flight. 

GREAT piece. Having played and watched cricket up and down the country for the best part of 25 years it has become more apparent that the Saddleworth League and CLL are far from anywhere near as good as the majority of the Lancashire, Yorkshire or Cheshire leagues.

The problem is that for the better quality league cricketers have to travel to clubs outside of the local area to play competitive cricket, so all that local leagues are left with average league/village cricketers to set the standard.

The North Staffs League sets a very good example. Seven divisions, with promotion and relegation.

First and second teams play in one of the divisions rather than the reverse fixture. Ten teams in each division. which gives quality rather than quantity (less league fixtures).

The modern way of life does not react well to committing 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!

MAD MAX



HAVING played in the CLL and Saddleworth League, it is obvious that the former is a better standard.

However, the gap is beginning to close.

Merging the two leagues would be a great start in improving the local standard of cricket.

Something that is certain is that the Saddleworth League is stuck in a very big hole. It must move with the times.

Leg-side wides and inner rings would improve the game right away.

Merge the leagues and have two divisions. Simple!

SWINGING BOTH WAYS


I THINK you will find this has come up because it has been spoken about at the Lancashire Cricket Board.

Some informal discussions have taken place with a club from the Saddleworth League.

From what I have heard, the Saddleworth League, the Manchester Association and Lancashire County League were going to be approached. Apparently, the CLL are not keen.

Splitting the teams would have to be decided off placings in the respective leagues at the end of the season. Over time, all teams would find their level.

GOLFER UK


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.

In my view, a premier division featuring clubs from the CLL, Saddleworth League, Bolton League and Lancashire County would line up as follows — Farnworth, Farnworth SC, Bamford Fieldhouse, Heywood, Norden, Denton West, Glossop, Greenmount, Monton and Weaste, Denton St Lawrence, Walkden, plus one more from Littleborough, Rochdale, Kearsley, Little Lever, Heyside, Cheetham Hill, Prestwich.

AVRIL BRIGGS


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 first XI game on a Saturday afternoon, and there’s nobody watching. The bar is not even open until after tea.

COMMITTEE MAN


THERE wouldn’t be a Saddleworth League club in the first three divisions.

The top teams would include Bradshaw, Didsbury, Greenmount, Hyde, Littleborough, Middleton, Monton and Weaste, Prestwich, Rochdale, Unsworth, Walsden and Wigan.

And remember, you can forget any clubs that don’t have accreditation. The ECB won’t consider them.

PETERBOROUGH BLUE


IF the cream of the Lancashire or the Greater Manchester club cricket scene are put in one pot then all the Saddleworth League clubs would be excluded.

COPPICE