Leagues head for showdown

TWO local cricket leagues are on a semi-final collision course in next year’s Reader Lancashire Inter-League competition.

The Central Lancashire will lock horns with the Saddleworth and District Cricket League if they come through their respective first-round ties.

The CLL are at home to the Ribblesdale League, while the S&DCL visit the Manchester Association. Both games take place on Sunday, June 13.

Semi-finals are on Sunday, July 11, with the final on Sunday, August 8.

In the Colts section, the CLL have been placed in group ‘B’ alongside the Bolton League, North Lancashire and Cumbria League and the Manchester Association.

The S&DCL face the Lancashire County League, the Bolton Association and the Ribblesdale League in group ‘A’.

Seniors — round one, June 13: Bolton Association v Lancashire County League; North Lancashire and Cumbria League v Bolton League; CLL v Ribblesdale League; Manchester Association v Saddleworth and District League.

Semi-finals, July 11: Bolton Association/Lancashire County League v North Lancashire and Cumbria League/Bolton League; CLL/Ribblesdale League v Manchester Association/Saddleworth and District Cricket League.

Final on August 8.

Colts — group ‘A’, June 13: Lancashire County League v Bolton Association; Ribblesdale League v Saddleworth and District League. July 11: Bolton Association v Ribblesdale League; Saddleworth and District Cricket League v Lancashire County League. August 8: Lancashire County League v Ribblesdale League; Saddleworth and District League v Bolton Association.

Group ‘B’, June 13: Bolton League v North Lancashire and Cumbria League; Manchester Association v CLL. July 11: Bolton League v Manchester Association; North Lancashire and Cumbria League v CLL. August 8: CLL v Bolton League; North Lancashire and Cumbria League v Manchester Association.

The winners of group ‘A’ and group ‘B’ will meet in the final on Bank Holiday Monday, August 30.

All matches start at 1.30pm.

THE Lake Garage Central Lancashire Cricket League is to vote on a proposal to introduce a two-division system for 2010.

Member clubs, which include Oldham, Werneth, Royton and Crompton, are to be circulated with a proposal from Norden which recommends the introduction of two eight-team divisions for the 2010 campaign.

Norden, whose suggestion already has the backing of Monton and Weaste, Milnrow and Walsden, decided to take action when a CLL steering committee recommended little change after being asked to investigate ways of taking the league forward.

But Norden’s bid could face strong opposition at a special management committee meeting which is expected to be convened before the league’s annual meeting at Middleton CC on Friday, November 27.

Most teams who finished in the bottom eight of the CLL last season - including all four local clubs - are unlikely to be happy about a proposal which would effectively relegate them without any warning.

THE CLL is mourning the death of two of its stalwarts.

John Schofield, a former league chairman and president and active member of Radcliffe CC for over 50 years, died earlier this week at the age of 79.

His funeral will be held at St Thomas’s Church, Radcliffe, at 12.30pm on Monday.

Michael Robins, the scorer at Milnrow CC for many years and a former scorer for the league team, has also died. He was 64.