Time for change?

FRUSTRATION for Oldham stalwart Mel Whittle in the club’s recent CLL match against Rochdale. The teams are separated by 12 places in the league and a split into two divisions would almost certainly see them placed apart.

CRICKET: THREE captains from the Saddleworth and District Cricket League believe something needs to be done to make cricket more competitive.

Bamford Fieldhouse, with a rich of array of talent at their disposal, are riding high in the league table as they search for a fourth straight title.

Teams are effectively playing for second place with only a quarter of the season gone.

Kevin Du Feu, of Austerlands, Heyside’s Nick Campbell and Johnathan Ainley, of Greenfield, reckon the time has come for change, which they say would not only benefit their clubs but others in the league as well.

The trio would welcome dialogue in forging a partnership between the CLL and the Saddleworth League, or even discuss a Premier League system incorporating Greater Man-chester or the whole of Lancashire.

Du Feu said: “I can’t see any drawbacks to a merger (with the CLL) and I can only see positive things to come out of it

“Perhaps clubs in the CLL will have their reservations with regards to the size and facilities at Saddleworth League grounds.

“But we’ve shown what can be done with a bit of money and a lot of hard work.

“Some teams are happy to finish where they finish, but promotion and relegation would get rid of many dead rubbers at the end of the season. Teams would have something to play for.

“I know everybody would like to be in the top division but, speaking for myself, I’d be happy to play in the second or third tier.

“You would go to places you haven’t been to before and enjoy different experiences.”

Campbell, in his first year as skipper of Heyside, likes the idea of the Premier League system with feeder divisions, which has been adopted by other counties.

He said: “The way things are going, especially on the local front with the likes of Oldham, Crompton, Royton and Werneth all struggling, the way forward is to merge leagues.

“It could make more local derbies, which in turn attract bigger crowds.

“It might also stop some of the better players in the area going out of town to play their cricket.

“We beat Middleton and Royton in friendlies before the season and should have beaten East Lancashire in the LCB Cup, so we know we can compete with these clubs.”

Ainley says there isn’t much between the standards in the Saddleworth League and the CLL

He would also welcome the idea of teams fighting to go up or battling to avoid relegation.

Ainley said: “In theory, I don’t see why the two leagues can’t get together. I would welcome dialogue on the subject.

“Promotion and relegation would definitely keep alive the season longer, but I guess the clubs in the CLL would be reluctant to break from tradition.

“To be honest, the standards between the two leagues are a lot closer now than they were five or 10 years ago, and there is very little difference in the professionals.

“As a captain, it’s hard work when defeat to Bamford Fieldhouse means you are out of the title race. It puts a lot of pressure on the Tanner Cup and fortunately we beat Heyside.”




Views from the CLL

KEITH McHUGH



NO-ONE enjoys watching one-sided cricket matches, let alone playing in them.



The Lake Garage CLL, once an ultra-competitive league between many evenly-matched sides, has been going down a predictable road for many years.

Teams such as Norden, Heywood, Monton and Weaste, Rochdale and Littleborough have a recent history of honours domination.

And others like Ashton, Radcliffe (although not during this current campaign) and, sadly, our four local clubs, have found it tough going despite the odd season in which they have secured professionals and overseas amateurs of sufficient quality to push them into the higher reaches of the league table.

Some clubs and league officials remain resistant to change, as is their right.

But more and more people believe a shake-up is long overdue and Norden CC actually proposed a two-division CLL at the last annual meeting of the league.

The proposal was defeated 12-3, with one of the 16 member clubs absent.

Greg Tattersall, one of the driving forces behind Norden’s initiative, believes county officials need to grasp the nettle if the game is to move forward in a more competitive and productive environment.

He said “I think the LCB (Lancashire Cricket Board) needs to get hold of it.

“Derbyshire and some of the southern counties have set up a pyramid system in which clubs have found their own level after four or five years.

“I think that needs to happen here. Already in the CLL there is a huge mismatch between the top and the bottom and the season is virtually over for four or five teams apart from interest in the Twenty20 competition.

“At least if you had two divisions then there would be promotion and relegation issues and teams would be playing more competitive cricket against sides of a similar standard.”

Oldham captain Chris McDonnell said his club backed Norden’s proposal at last year’s annual meeting and he was still in favour of a two-division CLL even though Oldham would probably end up in the lower tier.

He said: “Something needs to be done. Some days you turn up for a game and you think ‘we have no chance today’.

“There is a big difference between the top and bottom teams and I think our local clubs are going to continue to struggle for a few seasons to come.”

While not totally opposed to a CLL-Saddleworth League merger, McDonnell added: “Bamford and Heyside would obviously be good enough to compete against CLL teams and there are lots of players who used to be in the CLL who are now playing in the Saddleworth League.

“But I would be more in favour of a Premier League involving CLL teams and clubs from various leagues.”

CLL secretary Alan Wright said the CLL had approached the Lancashire League about a possible merger a few years ago, but “they were not interested”.

As regards a possible link with the Saddleworth League, he said: “People might have been talking among themselves, but no-one has said anything to us.”