GMCL: Cricket Clubs Prepare For 2023 Season With New Signings

The Christmas and New Year break marks the halfway point between the end of the 2022 season and the dawn of the 2023 campaign. But clubs locally have certainly not been idle as they look forward to the eighth season since the formation of the GMCL. 

All clubs are indebted to the work of volunteers, who give their time freely and willingly, and there’s plenty of evidence of this as grounds have received post-season treatment with further work after the turn of the year to ensure that things are shipshape prior to the opening fixtures, scheduled for 22nd  April. 

2023 marks the movement of the GMCL to a fully linear structure with the previous geographical split at Division 2 level disappearing.  Locally the Tameside and Glossop area will see 13 teams competing in the Saturday competitions added to which there will be a programme of Sunday 3rd XI games plus junior competitions from age nine upwards.

There has been plenty of news about players with professionals signed and movement between Clubs.  Primary amongst these has been Stayley. After just averting the drop into Division 2 they have made a real statement by signing 3 players from Premier division Denton SL. Consistently amongst the leading all-rounders in the league, Scott Kirwin has moved to Oxford Street. Averaging around 700 runs and 40 wickets a season in his time at Sycamore Park he will be a huge presence for Staley and is joined by Liam Parkinson who makes the same move as does Walter Kasim.  Parkinson generally picks up around 650 runs a season.  Stayley have also ventured overseas and signed Sri Lankan Rajeewa Weerasinghe.  The 25-year-old right hand bat and off spinner made his first class debut back in 2006 and has featured regularly in Sri Lankan domestic 1st class, limited overs and T20 cricket. The quality of these acquisitions will clearly mark Stayley out as a contender for honours in Division1.

In the Premier Division Denton SL, (who finished 4th and know they will face Northern League Blackpool in the Lancashire KO Cup), have responded to these departures with the signing of 22-year-old South African Mihali Mpongwana.  He has broken into the 1st class game with Western province over the last couple of years and looks to be a promising acquisition for DSL who will also be under new leadership after Adam Hawley stepped down after 10 years as captain.  

Newly promoted into the Premier Division Flowery Field enjoyed the talent and experience of IPL regular Shreevats Goswami in 2022 and his 1,000 runs played a vital role in their success in 2022. Flowery have signed young Kiwi Fergus Lellman who has featured for the New Zealand U19 team and is breaking into the 1st class game.  With the regular availability of Mike Finan in question after being signed on a full-time contract by Leicestershire more inward movement at Throstle Bank Street in the new year will not be surprising.  Elsewhere in the top tier there has been little emerging from Denton West after a season which started so brightly, (with 7 wins on the bounce), a mid-season slump and a recovery in the latter stages.

There has been a similar lack of news from Glossop who will feature in Premier 2 but after an up and down 2022 they will be looking to build on what was an eventual 6th place.

There is much local interest in the Championship.  Mottram, who pulled away from the bottom with a decent finish, will be joined by newly promoted Hadfield and will again face Dukinfield.  Hadfield finished 2022 strongly and a win over Saddleworth on the final day not only gave them promotion but also cost the Well I Hole club the title. Louis van Zyl will be returning to Newshaw Lane and with Cameron Ball, (544 runs and 78 wickets in 2022), confirming he will be staying Hadfield are well placed to make an impact at the higher level. Dukinfield only secured survival on the last day and have reacted to what was a poorish season with the signing of Rameez Alam.  With nearly 5,000 runs in the top tier of Pakistani domestic cricket he will provide strength in the Dukinfield batting line up.

A tier lower, in Division 1, Stayley are joined by Droylsden who narrowly missed out on promotion as results elsewhere on the last day went against them.  They have moved for Zimbabwean Nkosana Mpofu who has previously had stints as an overseas player in the UK.  Aged 32, he has 10 years’ experience at the top level in Zimbabwe and as recently as last week got 122 for Matabeleland Tuskers.

Micklehurst will feature in Division 2 with Ashton and Denton in Division 3 and Ashton Ladysmith a tier lower  Ashton, fresh from a 100% season, winning every game, will again be under the leadership of Dan Hawthorne and have shown a sign of intent with the signing of Jamaican Alwyn Williams who has recently been featuring for the Jamaican team who won the West Indies 50 over competition.  A hard-hitting batsman his arrival is eagerly anticipated at Ashton. Richard Taylor, who reached well over 1,000 runs in 2022, will again be a key part of the campaign.

No doubt as the new year dawns and the season approaches Reporter Sport will continue to provide comprehensive coverage.