SECRETARY Trevor Harrison has delivered a parting shot at the Lancashire Cricket Board following the demise of the JW Pennine Cricket League after only two seasons.
Mr Harrison accuses the LCB of behaving “disgracefully” claiming they want all clubs under the same umbrella in the Greater Manchester Cricket League.
He said: “The LCB is looking after itself and it is sad that four leagues have been lost in the last five years – the CLL, Saddleworth League, Bolton Association and Manchester Association.
“I am not very happy with the LCB and their lack of support. I think they have behaved disgracefully, and I will say that to the end of my days.
“When the Lancashire League proposed an extension to two divisions, the LCB wouldn’t listen when we warned it would have a domino effect.
“We received no support from them and they contributed to the end of our league.
“It is sad because even the clubs leaving to join the Lancashire League had no complaints the cricket and there was nothing wrong with it.”
The Greater Manchester League will, however, set aside dates so the Wood and Tanner cups can maintain local rivalries.
It is thought the Wood Cup will be contested by 16 former CLL clubs and Tanner Cup by 16 ex-Saddleworth League sides.
And it will be replicated in second-team cricket with the Burton and Moore cups being retained.
There is sadness about the demise of the Pennine League after only two seasons, but clubs are excited about the new adventure they are about to embark on.
Austerlands’ captain Andrew Young was on the Pennine League steering committee that was involved in the 18 clubs switching to the Greater Manchester League.
He said: “Austerlands never intended to jump ship and were one of the last clubs to leave.
“Everything has moved on and we are going to embrace the new challenge.”
Greenfield captain Chris Gill added: “I enjoyed playing in the Pennine League, and it is a shame it has folded. The standard of cricket was good and we got to play on nice grounds.
“The Greater Manchester League has five tiers and will carry more weight. Even if teams are relegated, there is scope to progress.”
Former Moorside captain Danny Anchor is excited by the new challenge awaiting clubs, but believes clubs ought to have been made to sign up for five years for the Pennine League.
“As soon as the big five decided to jump ship before the season started, it was clear other clubs would not be staying,” he said.
END OF SEASON REVIEW
GREENFIELD were the highest placed Saddleworth club finishing fifth in the Premiership.
Captain Chris Gill believes they would have done even better had South African professional Rivaldo Moonsamy not had a poor season.
He explained: “Rivaldo averaged less than 15 runs per innings whereas he had an average of more than 50 in first-class cricket while he also didn’t bowl.
“The season was a little disappointing as we hoped to win some silverware.”
Gill and Alex Peters excelled with the bat while Brad Woolley, Jake Caudwell and Adam Robinson were the main wicket-takers.
AUSTERLANDS
CAPTAIN Andrew Young reflected on a frustrating season as Austerlands finished second bottom of the Premiership.
He explained: “It was one of those seasons when nothing went right – even before the season started when we lost overseas amateur CJ Ferreira because of visa changes that prevented him coming.
“Our pro Shanuka Dulaj also broke a finer so that tore out plans for the season.”
Young added Austerlands cannot match the resources of other Premiership sides so knew they would have been up against it without these setbacks.
It was not all gloom, though, as Young continued: “We had some decent results, just not enough of them.
“All the games we targeted as winnable were rained off, and that just about summed up our season.”
SADDLEWORTH
LAST season’s Premiership runner-up finished bottom of the table, a massive nosedive in their fortunes.
“It was bobbins,” admitted player Brian Lord who continued: “We lost a couple of players from last season, had no overseas amateur and had four different captains during the season.
“There was no continuity and nobody to take responsibility. I don’t think it helped knowing the league was folding and there would be no relegation.”
On a positive note, Lord added young players like Jack Boyle and Dan Poole seized their chances when ordinarily they wouldn’t have made the first team.
Saddleworth are looking for a new professional after Imran Aslam, paid man for the last four years, won’t be returning.
UPPERMILL
AFTER finishing second in the Championship, Uppermill ought to have been looking forward to Premiership cricket in 2018.
Club official Jim Bradbury said: “We are sorry not to be able to play in the Premiership.
“It doesn’t help that we have been put in the third tier of the Greater Manchester League whereas most others from this area are in the second.
“We are grossly unhappy about is. It is disgusting.”
Captain Andrew Jones was delighted with the campaign and the form of Pakistani professional Ayaz Taswar who scored 1,300 runs and took 55 wickets. And his decision to return in 2018 is a massive boost for the club.
Jones added Paul Thompson, with 499 runs, had a great season while James Baron and himself with 45 and 46 wickets respectively, were the pick of the bowlers.
MOORSIDE
PLAYER Danny Anchor described it as a successful season after a fourth-placed finish and win in the T20 competition.
He said: “It was one of the most successful seasons for many years and our first trophy since 2001.
“We wanted to win the league, but a top-four finish was fine. The top five places were close all season and we were only five or six points off second place.”
Namibian professional Gerry Snyman, with 1,600 runs and 30 wickets, was outstanding while South African overseas amateur Ruan Havenga hit almost 1,000 runs.
FRIARMERE
AFTER finishing eighth in the 12-strong Championship, club chairman John Morris described it as an “average” season for the first team. He could not pick any standout performers.
Mr Morris believes the Greater Manchester League will suit them better as they struggled to field first and second teams on the same day.
But in the new league, there is more flexibility. While first-team matches are on Saturday, there is the scope to move second-team fixtures to Sunday.
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