Greater Manchester Cricket League Officials Outline Plans Ahead Of New Season

The Greater Manchester Cricket League held its AGM on Sunday.

In these Covid days all was done remotely, and Mottram’s Michael Beech, (the GMCL Secretary), did a sterling job setting things up, and ensuring that all 82 ‘attendees’ played a part. 

The League Chairman, Martin Kay, presided over the business which was wide ranging, taking in the finances of the League; some rule changes, and also a couple of crucial items which look forward to the future development.  In his opening remarks Mr Kay stated: “2020 will go down in history as a most difficult year, not only in cricket terms but also out in the wider world” and went on to say “I am grateful to all Clubs, Officials and Volunteers surrounding our League for your hard work in ensuring that we had some safe and enjoyable cricket in 2020. It would have been far easier to have just walked away and cancelled the season, but we took advice from our Governing Body of Sport canvassed opinions and ran with a reduced season”. It was a sentiment echoed by all in the meeting.

Aside from the normal AGM business the key issues centred around preparations for the 2021 season. With uncertainty still reigning as to if and when the restrictions will be relaxed so as to allow sport to resume, Simon Lowndes outlined the plans that were in place.  The fixtures have already been announced in the hope of a prompt commencement on 17^th April but in the event that there is a delayed start Mr Lowndes outlined the contingency plans that have been put in place. 

One key feature is the introduction of a Grounds and Facilities Standard, with each ground in the GMCL being assessed both prior to the season together with a monthly progress report.  League officials were clear that the maintenance and improvement of standards was paramount, and that clubs failing to meet these could well be impacted in terms of promotion and relegation, irrespective of on-field performance. The very valid point was made that many clubs had been in receipt of grants arising from the Covid support measures and that that these should properly be directed at investment in facilities rather than payment of players.  There is a real expectation that the Standard will ensure the improvement of Clubs both on and off the field.

One of the primary objectives of the League, when it was formed in 2016 was the achievement of ECB Premier League status.  Mr Kay informed the meeting that this was progressing with an application being considered by the ECB at the end of February.  The officials were keen to stress that it was the League in its entirety which was applying and not merely the Premier Division.  The status would enable the GMCL to have some influence, and be part of the discussion, at the ECB in terms of the development of club cricket.   

In summary the meeting was positive, and certainly gave Clubs the confidence that, when more normal times return, the development of club cricket in the area is progressing in the right direction.  Mr Kay summarised things by saying: “Looking forward to season 2021 we are, just as others are, hoping that the vaccination does its job, and we can look forward to as fuller season as possible. As I pen I’m not sure just what that fuller seasons looks like but the one thing that I can assure everyone is the fact that we are ready to go, we have planned just as we did for last year but with more time available to us this time around our planning is much more detailed”.