Clubs count the cost as rain stops play

WATER, WATER, EVERYWHERE: the Saddleworth outfield last Friday after the River Tame burst its banks behind the ground at Well-i-Hole.

CRICKET:

LOCAL cricket clubs are seeing money go down the drain after weeks of rain.

Last Friday’s deluge wiped out three games in Division One of the Versasteel Saddleworth and District Cricket League — the latest in a long list of abandoned games.

Glodwick, Bamford Fieldhouse and Droylsden have failed to complete half of their 12 fixtures in Division One.

At Warren Street, Glodwick firsts haven’t played at home in the league since May 26. They have moved Sunday’s Tanner Cup semi-final against Friarmere to Moorside’s Turf Pit Lane ground.

At Droylsden, five of the last six league fixtures have been abandoned without a ball being bowled.

Saddleworth’s ground at Well-i-Hole became a lake on Friday. An under-15s game was played on Monday by bringing in the boundary rope — but more rain on Tuesday left puddles on the square.

Every weekend fixture called off adds the pressure on finances. Saddleworth secretary Graham Oldham explained: “It costs us £450 to field two teams. That goes down to about £350 when there is no play, so it is still a sizeable sum of money.

“Functions on Friday and Saturday nights keep us going. The way things are we’ll just about break even this year.”

Bamford have been mopping all week as they prepare to play Heyside in the league on Saturday.

Club chairman Andy Barton said: “I haven’t known it as bad, and I’ve been connected with the club for 30 years.”



THE elements have taken their toll on Delph in the Drakes Huddersfield League.

Saturday’s game against Golcar went ahead despite Friday’s torrential rain, but spectator numbers are down over the season.



BAMFORD Fieldhouse are through to the last eight of the National Knock-out after trouncing Ormskirk, from the Liverpool Competition, by seven wickets.

Bamford play Neston (Cheshire County League) or Kidderminster Victoria (Birmingham and District Premier League) in the quarter-finals.






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