WorldWorld GREATERGREATER MANCHESTERMANCHESTER CRICKETCRICKET LEAGUELEAGUE NEWSLETTERNEWSLETTER •• ISSUE 21 •• WINTERWINTER 2017/82016/7 UPBIGGER AND AND BETTER RUNNING!Superb! That superlative for me sums up the THATseason WAS that THE has justSEASON passed. THAT WAS! GMCL theand success a cricketing of the Leaguehaven asto abe whole. very proud of. The TIMELINE MARTINMARTIN KAYKAY Inmovement 2017, we willof the be thePennine only LeagueLeague thatClubs has addsincreased new CHAIRMANCHAIRMAN Clubdepths numbers to the junior in Greater ranks ELSEWHERE IN Manchester,and will add muchwith morenew FromA season the that first was balllive frombowled beginning in the teamsdensity comingencouraging in fromeven GMCL WORLD: inauguralto end, quality season cricket of atthe the eliteGreater end 2012 Oldhammore challenges and Manchester for our Manchesterand recreational Cricket cricket League, focus there where was asyoungsters. we will welcome two First thought and excitement,necessary helpingdespair andus everythingto grow the in newOne areateams where Hindley we are stillSt loose chatter. betweengame. A promisefor all ourthat Clubs,was made Officials at the Peterslooking from to addthe numbersBorough andLeague of course inception the Board and I’m of directors.pleased to ofis throughWigan andthe UmpiresEuropa see that budding cricketers, girls or CCportfolio, from whilstManchester we do PAGE 2 Ifboys I’d havebeen thetold opportunity before the toseason start, andvery wewell wish in bothserving well the in started,stay and that succeed on the in last our day cherished of the theirmatches endeavours. we do, it wouldThis Junior highlights seasonsport. all but 2 of the professional comingcertainly year help we Alan will alsoand 2013 teamsAgain outthis ofseason 28 were was playing a huge for behis lookingteam of to volunteers develop an if LCB Facilitated something,administrative be challengeit titles andwinners, one overpast or40’s retiring Cricket cricketers League Meetings runnersthat we managedup, relegation to orchestrate or promotion pretty I incould the behope drawn of promoting back to the wouldwell most have beenof the pretty time. well Achieving satisfied. cricketgame and to the become masses part even of Tosomething see that cometo the tomagnitude fruition gave that mewe further.the ‘band of brothers’. We thatall have, warm takes glow hundreds inside that of volunteer you get provide a pathway from PAGE 3 fromhours a andjob andI’d publically planning thatlike wasto go well on What’s‘starting to to comethe very in elite’the Club profiles orchestrated.record in thanking all Board Members newjust asseason? the player More pathway developments I would like to thank the County and helpers (including understanding 2014 withand CricHQ,we provide a recruitment training drive for Cricket Board for their continued November: Thewives, season girlfriends was huge inand administrative husbands) aand couple even of tailored new Board kits Members so with support together with agencies such Chair Appointed termsand the and hundreds all the ofBoard club andVolunteers Clubs skillmy message sets around is clear; marketing come and PR as Sport England, the County Sports the County Sports Partnership and havethat ensurehad to playas smooth their part a transition and I’d like as moreon folks, emphasis your onLeague the recruitment Partnerships and to all others Leagues all other agencies that continue topossible. thank everyoneIt is a remarkable very publically effort. for andneeds retention you!!! of Umpires using some that have supported this venture. theirNext year’ssupport. big newsAchieving of course a smooth are the veryI would innovative finally justthinking like toand thank hands the to support this developing League PAGE 4-5 Structure. ride,seventeen given Pennine the size League and setClubs up that of onCounty support. Board We forhave their applied continued to the I hope that everyone has a great day I hope that everyone has a great 2018 Structure thisare comingLeague acrossdoes notto the just GMCL. happen, We ECBsupport for togetherPremier withLeague Sports status England and and then it’s upwards and onwards evening and then it’s onwards and itoffer is brought them a veryto realisation warm welcome by lots and of wewho will have continue supported to compete a number at inter- of towards 2017. 2015 peoplethe promise with theof challengingcommon purpose, cricket leaguesubstantial levels funding at all age bids groups. from Clubs, upwards to 2018! April : Prospectus Launch Summer: ClubsPAGE Sign Up 6-7 Roll of honour 2017 2016 31st January: LaunchPAGE Event 8 April:Umpire’s report FirstWelcome ball bowled Nigel! GMCL_World_Issue1.indd 1 14/11/2016 12:38 GREATER MANCHESTER CRICKET LEAGUE NEWSLETTER • ISSUE 2 • WINTER 2017/8 GREATER MANCHESTER CRICKET LEAGUE NEWSLETTER • ISSUE 2 • WINTER 2017/8 JUNIOR CLUB HIGHLIGHTS PROFILES UNDER 12s The 2017 U12 Interleague squad brought Flaxman, and Keshana Fonseka putting on a respectable 152/3 from their 40 overs. A for bad weather the game could not be CLIFTON CC FLIXTON CC together 14 boys from no less than 11 GMCL 59 runs for the first wicket. What followed comfortable victory looked in order with played and the trophy shared between the Officials of the now dissolved Bolton & single cricket trophy in the world. Clifton are clubs. With each member of the squad also wasn’t to plan as the wickets fell at regular a steady opening partnership of (79) from two leagues. District Cricket Association, invited Clifton, proud therefore to be its last winners after participated in at least one game and 7 of the intervals and we were dismissed for 84 runs Keshana Fonseka and Umar Chughtai. A great achievement from the GMCL boys as a former winner, to take part in a last a 59 run victory over Roe Green in the final 2017 squad eligible for 2018.’ inside 22 overs. Attack was our only way of Similar to the first fixture, wickets then fell and some great cricket played by all in the ever Cross Cup competition before the after overcoming Spring View and Adlington We kicked off with an away fixture against defending the below par score and the lads and we eventually secured a 2 wicket win. competition. Thanks to all involved and the famous old trophy is placed into glorious in previous rounds and Gareth Cross is seen the Ribblesdale League and came away with put pressure on from the first over. Wickets The final fixture versus the Ribblesdale support of parents, grand-parents, carers, retirement in Bolton Museum. The Cross examining the Cup before it was whisked Cup was competed for in every year from away forever by B&DCA officials. a very comfortable victory with outstanding tumbled regularly and George Taylor (9/3) League was conceded by our opponents. clubs that hosted the games and the boys 1882 to 2015, the longest unbroken use of a performances from Keshana Fonseka, (89), was turning the screw. Only a bludgeoning And with tied leaders of the group, GMCL themselves. innings from one of the Bolton League boys and Ismael Patel, (5/4 ). Resulting in a 181 were crowned group winners by scoring Here is to a successful 2018! run victory. saved them as from (69/9), they secured a 1 more runs in the combined games between wicket victory, finishing on (86/9). With thanks, Our next fixture we knew would be more GMCL and the Bolton League. Nick. of a test against the Bolton League, and Next up on the fixture card was the reverse A final against the Pennine League awaited, we got off to the perfect star With Zachary game against Bolton League. Bolton scored but unfortunately due to two cancellations Flixton CC crowned an incredible season by The team improved in preparation for the clinching the GMCL premier division title 2017 season, with the objective being to UNDER 13s on the last game of the season. The league challenge for the league title and go one For the 2nd consecutive year, the GMCL The Greenmount lads knew that they trophy goes alongside the Archway GMCL20 further in the GMCL20 cup, both of which had to be on the top of their game to under 13’s were dominated by Greenmount triumph earlier in the season. It reflect the were realised. Club Chairman David Connor and this age group have managed to go for 2 succeed against very good Longridge culmination of a remarkable journey for the said “the GMCL is an incredibly competitive season undefeated in Lancashire. team, South Manchester outfit, who have become league. Whilst we won the league there were Unfortunately, they only played 6 league The three county lads, Stevens, Williams an increasing presence in the Manchester a number of games that could have gone games, with 2 being abandoned and and Hunter did not disappoint and all cricket scene over the last 10 years. Having either way, especially in the final third of the hopefully this is something that can be retired on 30, helping Greenmount post spent all its existence in the now defunct season when we were victorious in a number addressed going forward. 120. MDCA, the change in fortunes began with a of very tight games. The team is a strong one The lack of league games was more than All the Greenmount bowlers bowled move to the BDCA in 2008. The move was a well led by Steve Hammond and made up compensated with successful cup runs in well, but special mention for 10 year old turning point for the club and meant more of a top professional and leading overseas the GMCL and Lancashire cricket Board Tom Nuttall, who bowled his 4 overs for EAST LANCS competitive cricket, allowing Flixton to amateurs who are well settled at the club, cups. 16 runs. attract new players to the club, which always as well as a blend of home grown and local They retained the prestigious Lancashire Tight bowling and good fielding ensured boasted strong facilitities.