ORGANISERS have had a positive response to plans to bring back the Cross Cup this season.

As reported in yesterday’s Bolton News efforts to restore Lancashire’s oldest cricket cup competition have been going on for the last few months.

Led by Bolton Association stalwart and umpire Eric Hogg and helped by committee members of the Association, the league which staged the Cross Cup from 1889 to 2015, hopes are high the competition will return this season.

Fifteen clubs who all played in the competition throughout the years have expressed an interest in competing for the coveted old trophy.

A meeting of all the clubs will take place at Little Hulton Cricket Club on Wednesday, March 29 – not March 31 as reported in yesterday’s story – at which the final decision on rules and the draw for the first round are expected to take place.

Mr Hogg said: The response to the story in The Bolton News has been very positive.

“I’ve had contact with clubs who are keen to get this started.”

The clubs who have expressed an interest in playing are Adlington, Astley and Tyldesley, Atherton, Blackrod, Darcy Lever, Daisy Hill, Eagley, Edgworth, Elton, Flixton, Golborne, Little Hulton, Walshaw, Roe Green and Spring View.

As well as being the oldest cricket trophy in Lancashire which was still being played for before last year, the Cross Cup is believed to be in top three oldest in the world.

It was not played for last year because the Association had entered into a period of suspension due to not being able to continue after losing half its 18 clubs to the new Greater Manchester Cricket League.

The first round of this year’s proposed revived competition is set to be played in the first half of the season with the the next two rounds and the final taking place in the second half.