WITH the Bolton Cricket League and its new Bolton Association clubs meeting tonight to discuss next year's new expanded league structure, Association life member, former official and author of Cotton Town Cricket – a history of the first 100 years of the Association – Roy Cavanagh, says why he believes the Association deserves to be recognised in the league's new name

SO, finally, the resignation deadlines have come and gone, a new organisation is on the blocks and cricket locally has to deal with what is left for the future.

Now, I really do like looking forward, but one also has to respect and fight for what has served the area so well for 127 years, The Bolton & District Cricket Association.

History is important, especially when you are dealing with, arguably, the oldest organisation in the world.

B&DCA’s first minuted meeting took place two weeks before The Birmingham League in late 1888.

In 1889, Birmingham League went as a league, the B&DCA as a cup – the Cross Cup, still the oldest trophy played for anywhere in the cricketing world. The teams in that, and future competitions, formed the Association and then the Bolton League over all those years.

Let it go all on a whim? Don’t think so!

Ok, history to one side.

The town of Bolton has now got a real chance to put its marker down to be the area to have the top clubs playing under their cricketing banner.

What is that banner called though?

Should it be the Bolton League or a fairer appreciation of what is actually being brought to the table?

I have seen acknowledgement to a very senior figure from the League agreeing on the title being the Bolton Competition or Conference, with a Premier or First division being the Bolton League and a First or Second Division being the Bolton Association.

Now I would call it the Bolton Premier Cricket League as opposed to Competition.

But the respect of acknowledging the Association needs to be there.

Why? Well, when the League first decided to look at even three divisions and asked for applications, they were in a very strong position.

The reality was that they got no clubs and actually lost two of their own existing ones.

So, when asked to apply en bloc – which the Association was asked to do, and be sure of recognition, when they offered a merger – 11 B&DCA clubs did just that.

One of those, Westleigh, have since decided to go into the new Greater Manchester Cricket League.

Further conversations, at a very senior level, produced a name which had recognition of the Association in a prominent position.

Now, though, good money is on no recognition.

But the oldest cricket trophy in the world, the Cross Cup, could still be played for. Wow thanks.

There then comes the further sting with reports that a couple of longstanding League clubs drop into the division where the majority of Association clubs will be.

Unless they have agreed to that, it seems a poor and unfair decision.

This is a brilliant opportunity for the town of Bolton to really move forward and show leadership and fairness; to look to create a system where clubs from all standings, from those of top quality to those who simply wish to play competitive cricket at a fair cost, come together.

This includes looking at expansion in the future with clubs in the greater Bolton area wanting to join.

The sorting out of who plays where is not really that hard to organise and to do so fairly.

You either all play each other once and the top 12 form the Premier Division, the rest a First Division, or you stick for one season with the Premier being from the present Bolton League and the First from the Association with two up two down.

The Premier plays under BCL rules the other under Association rules.

And if teams don’t want to play under BCL rules they just ask to go to the other league, not thrown there with no debate.

The Hamer Cup and Cross Cup could still be played for by the respective present set-ups, and a new cup played for by all.

Umpires (remember they are vital) will be well supplied by the Association, and juniors (again thanks to a fine Association set-up) should be able to play in localised competitions.

You also have the not insignificant financial strength the Association has, along with the full array of trophies they bring to the table.

Sounds like a merger to me.

None of this is rocket science, but it does provide competitive, well-organised cricket for all ages and fairness to the history of Bolton cricket which relates to the whole town since 1888.

I have had the real pleasure of meeting top people from Bradshaw, Farnworth and Westhoughton in recent months as well as, of course, people from the existing Association.

It is time for real leaders of Bolton Cricket to pull this together, settle differences and move forward to cement the area as the finest in Lancashire for the sport of cricket.