The local cricketing landscape will look different next season with the Ashton and Oldham Cricket Alliance having taken the decision to disband.

Officials reluctantly made the move after only five teams gave a positive commitment to play in 2012.

Newtonhurst, Europa Exiles, Foresters and Friends now hope to continue their cricket next season in the Greater Manchester Amateur Cricket League.

The present league came about in 2005 with the merger of 13 teams from Ashton and Oldham.

The Ashton League had originally formed in 1907 and the founding of the Oldham Alliance was even earlier.

Records for the Ashton and District Sunday School Amateur Cricket League go back to the early 1900s, continuing through the war years, although there were only six teams playing in 1918.

Following the war, the league began to flourish and grew steadily, growing to 60 teams in 1932.

The numbers were once again reduced during the Second World War when, in 1941, it was agreed to suspend activities until the end of the war.

In 1946 the league restarted, and by the end of the decade, had increased to three divisions of eight.

Numbers remained steady until the late 1950s when they began to fall, resulting in only three teams remaining at the close of the 1968 season.

The following year the league changed its name to the Ashton Cricket League (ACL) and steadily built up numbers until there were two divisions of eight in the 1980s.

The ACL continued to play timed cricket until 2001 when it moved to overs cricket.

Teams disbanding or moving on to other leagues left the league with just seven teams in 2005, prompting the merger with the Oldham Alliance.

However, all is not sadness and gloom. The Alliance intends to go out on a high note and has organised a commemorative sportsman’s dinner at Old Trafford’s The Point, on Friday, January 13.

A discounted ticket costing £10 is on offer to all former players and officials of the Alliance.

Anyone interested in taking up this invitation should contact Alan Burgess on 0161 339 4852 or send him an email at burgess.a3@sky.com

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