Pennine Cricket League officially launched

Pennine Cricket League officially launched

The Pennine Cricket League was officially launched last Thursday night, and swiftly became known as the JW Lees Pennine Cricket League.

During a launch night at the Turnpike Inn the brewers announced a four-year deal worth £100,000. There will also be an option for a further year’s agreement.

Brewery representative Ian Wrathall said the breakdown of the sponsorship would include £10,000 going into a cricket development fund, although this breakdown had still to be ratified by the league’s executive committee which is likely to be announced at a meeting in late October.

The gathering of club and league officials was told a lot of work had been done following a meeting of delegates at Milnrow CC in June.

Some things had still to be fine tuned, but structure and rules had been drawn up, and most of what clubs wanted to know was outlined on the night.

In welcoming the gathering Glenn Kershaw said: “It will be two great leagues coming together in what we hope to be a cricket family. There is already increased bonding between the CLL and Saddleworth and District League clubs which will make up the league.

Steering groups have met regularly, and we have come a long way since that meeting in June.”

All rules still need to be ratified by club delegates, but it is planned that all clubs should have a professional, and overseas amateurs will be allowed in the first season.

League matches (50 overs per team) will be mainly on Saturdays, and bowlers will be restricted to a maximum of 17 overs.

The proposed start time is 1pm (12.30pm in April and September).

It is planned to adopt the Saddleworth League’s Weathertime system, and the CLL’s existing points system.

Second team cricket will be 45 overs per team, bowlers restricted to 12 overs.

The Wood and Tanner Cups will be played for, with a preliminary round. The eight winners, and eight clubs involved in the LCB Knockout will go into the first round of the Wood Cup. The eight losers will go into the Tanner Cup and be joined in the first round of that competition by the eight losing teams in the Wood Cup first round.

The Tom Hardman T20 will continue and the plan is to start with four groups of six, with matches played mainly on Friday evenings.

Third elevens matches will be of 40 overs per side and played mainly on Sundays and bank holidays.

Junior cricket will cover the age groups under nines, under 11s, under 13s, under 15s, and under 18s.

Looking to the future Glenn Kershaw said: “We hope to modernise administration so that clubs become closer to the league officials by way of better communication and the use of technology.

We will be working towards Premier League status, and we must say the league is still open to other clubs at all levels.

Putting it simply, we want to be the best that we can be.”

The evening was rounded off by guest speaker, former county and England cricketer and former chairman of England selectors Geoff Miller.