Cricket talks collapse

The Central League will be disbanded after today’s final programme and Halifax League chiefs, in a statement, said the collapse of talks between the two major leagues in Calderdale and Kirklees had left a state of uncertainly.

The statement said: “The Spenser Wilson Halifax Cricket League has invested a great deal of time, work and effort into producing proposals to try and safeguard the future of Solly Sports Huddersfield Central Cricket League clubs in a workable structure, a process that commenced in early 2016.

“We are extremely disappointed to learn that the Drakes Huddersfield Cricket League has decided not to pursue the options agreed in recent discussions between the chairmen of both leagues and has now stated that it cannot work with the Halifax League in finding a suitable solution.

“From the outset the Halifax League’s sole aim was to work with the Central League in the best interests of its clubs and amateur cricket to ensure all their clubs had a home to play competitive cricket and it did just that following very amicable discussions.

“As previously stated separate applications to join the Halifax League, from Birchencliffe CC, Leymoor CC and Mount CC, are now at an advanced stage but we feel very sorry for those clubs who now face uncertainty as to whether they will even have a league to play cricket in next season.”

Drakes League chairman Trevor Atkinson confirmed that his league had decided to work alone and said they would accommodate as many Central League clubs as wished to come in a “semi-detached set-up.

Central League clubs, some of which only have one team, are due to meet on Tuesday.”