TO the surprise of probably no-one with an interest in Bolton League cricket, Farnworth Social Circle are champions by a comfortable margin. They were challenged early on in the season by neighbours Farnworth, who suffered more from the weather than other clubs, and latterly by Hamer Cup winners Walkden, but realistically nobody was going to catch them.

The one, two or three-horse race scenario was repeated in other leagues in the county. In the Lancashire League, Ramsbottom wrestled the championship from holders Burnley with a one-wicket win in the last match of the season, with none of the other clubs challenging from mid-season onwards. The Lancashire League were another league with a club struggling to compete, with Bacup finishing several wins and points behind the second-bottom team.

In the Ribblesdale League, Clitheroe were effectively champions several weeks ago, while in Section B, Feniscowles and Earby spent most of the season adrift from the other teams.

In the Pennine League, champions Walsden and runners-up Saddleworth had pulled away from their rivals several weeks ago, and they too had one team in particular, Middleton, who found life tough throughout the season.

Three teams, champions Egerton, Prestwich and Clifton dominated the Greater Manchester League, and relatively early in the season the league split into three distinct sections with five teams fighting a relegation battle only one would survive, with the other four teams accepting they would finish somewhere mid-table.

Lower down the GMCL, Prestwich and Glossop second teams could be promoted from the Second Division, with only Deane and Derby able to overtake them this weekend.

This will mean that next season former Bolton Association and Central Lancashire League club Elton will be playing first-team matches against second teams from other clubs, as will last season's Bolton Association champions, Swinton Moorside.

Pitting first teams against seconds is a new experience for many clubs, and if matches are competitive other leagues may look at incorporating second teams in their league structure.

However, the matches have to be competitive for the right reasons – because the second teams are strong – with the clubs having a good junior structure to maintain the standard. If the matches are competitive for the wrong reason, because the first teams are losing their better players following relegation, clubs will suffer in the long term.

Sunday sees Farnworth take on Horwich at 1.30pm at Heaton Cricket Club for the Heineken-sponsored Peter Stafford Trophy. The competition was affected particularly by the weather with more than half the matches in the group stages being rained off.

This could be the first and last final in this particular format, although there is a distinct possibility there will be a competition run on similar but not identical lines next season.