FIRST-TEAM captain Danny Anchor has revealed that support from rival clubs was one of the prime reasons why Moorside Cricket Club did an about turn and decided not to join the new Greater Manchester League.
Instead, the club will become a member of the new Pennine League in 2016 following a merger of the CLL and Saddleworth and District Cricket League.
It has been an eventful time at Turf Pit Lane as Moorside officials wrestled with what the future held for their club.
Danny explained: “We went to a meeting of clubs at Milnrow Cricket Club to discuss the merger between the CLL and Saddleworth League just to see what they had to say as in our minds we were adamant that we were joining the Greater Manchester League.
“Though we were impressed with a lot of things that were said, we still came away going to join that league.
“Since that meeting, eight clubs have rung us to see what we were doing and wanting us to join the Pennine League.”
As a result of that Danny spoke to Moorside’s cricket committee to discuss in finer detail various issues.
He said: “We wanted to know the difference in the travelling involved in the various leagues and, after working it, out found it was absolutely ridiculous in the Greater Manchester League compared with the Pennine League.
“We were also concerned that second and third team cricket, and also juniors, might be playing on football pitches and using artificial wickets in the Greater Manchester League which is concentrated on and only good for first-teams. We didn’t want our teams playing on grounds like that.
“Finally there are the local derbies and there will be at least five or six in the Pennine League so in the end it was a no brainer for the club and its supporters to join them.”
Though a number of CLL and Saddleworth League clubs are leaving, the merger between the two leagues leaves 24 clubs which will enable the Pennine League to have two divisions of 12.
Danny said: “It will be a league in which we play one game a weekend which is what we have been asking for as everyone has family and other commitments.
“The fixtures had become ridiculous and times change. Everybody wants single weekends to allow them time to do other things.”
