Preparations take place ahead of Greater Manchester Cricket League season

This weekend sees the start of the GMCL season and will be welcomed by all concerned, after the truncated 2020 campaign.

The first month or so will see some Covid restrictions used in 2020 still in place but as the national situation continues to improve there are hopes that a return to the normaility of Saturday and Sunday afternoons will happen sooner rather than later. 

There has been a League restructure which builds on the plans put in place over 12 months ago. There will be 11 Saturday Divisions; Cup and T20 Competitions and Sunday leagues plus a wealth of opportunity for junior cricket. With 14 clubs in the Tameside and Glossop area there is certainly a great deal of interest locally. 

In the Premier League Tameside will be represented by Denton St Lawrence. The Sycamore Park club will be hoping to replicate their Championship winning form of 2019. Neil Hornbuckle, who had an outstanding season as pro in 2019 is scheduled to return. DSL have also recruited locally with Sam Hood and Wasim Qasim making the short move from Denton. They are joined in the division by Astley & Tyldesley; Clifton; Egerton; Flixton; Glodwick; Greenfield; Heyside; Moorside; Prestwich; Roe Green and Woodbank. It promises to be really competitive. 

A tier lower, (Premier League 1), our local teams are Denton West; Flowery Field and Glossop. Up at North Road Glossop, after an indifferent season in 2019, have pushed the boat out. Harry Dearden, formerly of Hyde, but contracted at Leicestershire CCC, has been registered. Dearden started the County Championship season in fine form last week with 42 and 62 in the Foxes defeat at the hands of Hampshire. Obviously his calls from LCCC may impact on his availability. He will be joined by Ruman Ahmed, a 1st class player from Bangladesh; Peter Higginbottom who has moved from Austerlands after previously being at Tintwistle and Ashton; and Glossop have also added Adam Hayes, (Delph). Over at Windsor Park, Asif Afridi has been signed as pro, and comes with a good record with Rastrick in the Huddersfield League in 2018 and 2019. They have also brought in Callum Flynn, (who totalled just under 500 runs for Gomersal, (Bradford League) in 2019), and Ryan Halpin who has moved from Denton. Flowery Field will be missing pro Mike Burns, who has moved on to Tottington but have recruited impressively. Owen Feakes, returning to Flowery after a couple of seasons away will strengthen the batting after impressing in his time at Greenmount. Keegan Taylor and Jamie Garde have joined from Denton. The competition in this Division will be in the form of Bradshaw; Bury; Edgworth; Heywood; Monton; Royton; Stand; Walshaw and Woodhouses. 

A tier lower in the Championship, Stayley are the sole local representative and a sizeable number of newcomers will be on view. Chris Tipper who was at Glossop in 2017, and has also played at Hyde will bring an all-rounders expertise, and he has been joined by three from Dukinfield, (Jake Fenton; Matthew Mayne and Michael Jones). Additionally Chris Ware a left arm fast bowler arrives from Astley & Tyldesley with a good record under his belt at Gin Pit. The Oxford Street club have, however, lost Peter Skuse ho has returned to Saddleworth where he enjoyed much success as professional a decade ago. 

In Division 1 Mottram and Hadfield, newcomers to the GMCL in the truncated 2020 season will both be hoping to build on what was a very promising performance. They will be turning out much the same teams this year, although Cameron Ball has made the short trip from Glossop to Hadfield. Droylsden and Dukinfield will be looking to the new season for an improvement, after a disappointing 2019 season, when both struggled in Division 1B as will Denton who were placed similarly in Div 1A. Both Dukinfield and Denton have lost a number of players, and with just a week to go there has been no news of any newcomers at Higher King Street or Egerton Street. Droyslden have brought in Tharsan Thaylan, a fast bowler, who has performed impressively at Shaw in the past. 

The 24 clubs at Division 2 level have effectively been spilt geographically, and In Div 2B are Ashton and Micklehurst. Ashton are looking to rebuild after a difficult couple of years after moving to the GMCL from the now defunct Pennine League. The Rayner Lane club welcome back former captain Siraj Kadodia after his spell at Oldham, and Anthony Cameron-Summers joins from Wavertree in the Liverpool Competition . Skipper James Edmodson will be looking to them to provide some experience. Up at Richmond Hill promising youngster Tom White has returned home after a year at Greenfield, and has been joined by Waqar Qayum, (Norden); Lewis Riley, (Dukinfield) and Amir Shahzad, (Shiregreen). Skipper Jonny Forrester will be looking to build on an impressive performance in 2020 when Micklehurt finished as runners up to Saddleworth in Division C.. 

In Division 4E hopes will be high at Rosehill Road where Ashton Ladysmith had a good 2020 winning Division M of the 2020 competition. News has also emerged that there is an improvement in facilities with the installation of all-weather practice nets at the ground. 

The GMCL, ever keen to improve facilities is also introducing a standard for grounds and have notified clubs that promotion and relegation at the end of the 2021 season will be influenced by the extent to which standards are met. Ground inspections have been taking place over the last week or so. 

Fixtures – 17th April 

Premier: 

Greenfield v Egerton; Heyside v Glodwick; Moorside v Prestwich; Astley & Tyldesley v Denton SL; Clifton v Flixton; Woodbank v Roe Green 

Premier 2: 

Monton v Bradshaw; Glossop v Heywood; Denton West v Flowery Field; Bury v Edgworth; Royton v Woodhouses; Stand v Walshaw 

Championship: 

Winton v Uppermill; Elton v Heaton; Edenfield v Shaw; Frairmere v Westleigh; Swinton Moorside v Brooksbottom; Whalley Range v Stayley 

Division 1 

Droylsden v Austerlands; Mottram v Thornham; SW Manchester v Stretford; Prestwich 2nd XI v Denton; Dukinfield v Golborne; Oldham v Adlington; Milnrow v Hadfield 

Division 2A 

Roe Green 2nd XI v Stand 2nd XI; Deane & Derby v Hindley St Peters; Tottington v Radcliffe; Irlam v Elton 2nd XI; East Lancs PM v Worsley 

Division 2B 

Micklehurst v Whalley Range 2nd XI; Saddleworth v Littleborough Lakeside; Denton SL 2nd XI v Springhead; Wythenshawe v Denton West 2nd XI; Glodwick 2nd XI v Glossop 2nd XI; Ashton V Werneth 

Division 3 East 

Werneth 2nd XI v Oldham 2nd XI; Hadfield 2nd XI v Dukinfield 2nd XI; Newton Heath v Friarmere 2nd XI; Flowery Field 2nd XI v Moorside 2nd XI; Heywood 2nd XI v Mottram 2nd XI; Friends United v Greenfield 2nd XI 

Division 4 East 

Stayley 2nd XI v Ashton 2nd XI; Woodhouses 2nd XI v Ashton Ladysmith; Springhead 2nd XI v Blackley; Denton 2nd XI v Saddleworth 2nd XI; Austerlands 2nd XI v Droylsden 2nd XI 

At the moment ‘casual’ spectators are not allowed to attend matches under Government guidelines. Attendance is limited to members of home clubs. Please check with Clubs as to the operation of this.