Roy Cavanagh, a life member of the Bolton Association and author of the book Cotton Town Cricket about the history of Bolton's two big cricket leagues, gives his observations on the proposed new Greater Manchester Cricket League.

TWO things come to mind with all this talk about a new cricket set-up for the Lancashire area: history and change.

Already being members of, arguably, the world’s oldest cricket organisation, the Bolton Association, some of the clubs were actually founded even before that began in1888.

Now that is a lot of history, but not wanting to bury one's head in the sand, there is nothing wrong with change, but surely that has to be of a better, more positive nature to be worthy of even discussion.

I am still looking for anything, except ‘let’s do something different’.

Having been involved when Bolton Cricket Club moved to the Liverpool Competition more than 20 years ago, I am reminded of the mistake we made, of which I was party to.

Much further travel to matches, not benefitting the vast majority of the club, the total disregard of the 2nd Xl, and scratching around to accommodate the junior set-up. The move failed and we had somewhere to go back to.

If these proposals are acted on, there will be no going back and clubs will fold.

If clubs and their players want to make a change why don’t they get more involved with their present leagues?

How many go out of their way to find out what is discussed? How many put forward suggestions for improvement?

Not many I suspect, more a case of turning up to avoid a fine.

You would also have to look closely at your own facilities. Have you got the money to make substantial changes if needed?

The team could perform well but not get accepted due to poor facilities.

First and second teams could be in totally different leagues, whilst juniors could be travelling long distances on crowded motorways to fulfil fixtures.

If you chose wrongly there will be no going back as all those 125 years of history will be in the bin.

I am intrigued by Lancashire Cricket Club’s role in all this. Ever since the brilliant Ken Standring left the Lancashire Cricket Board it has been rudderless.

The main club, of which I have been a member for more than 40 years, is no longer a cricket club, it is a business.

Perhaps it will change its name from LCCC to The Point.

Hopefully, the LCB has got a lot to give but in looking at this proposed pyramid it is certainly not looking at anyone outside a possible 30-club elite.

That will leave a lot of clubs always looking in and nowhere to go back to.

To surmise that it will provide more talent for the county is probably misguided as clubs will strive for success, paying more and more amateurs as opposed to really nurturing those young enough who could make the county side.

They have been sticking their oar into players moving for years, telling them to leave well-run clubs for a perceived more fashionable club.

It is worth remembering though that two of the side that finally brought the County Championship back to Old Trafford after 77 years were original products of the Bolton Association, Karl Brown from Atherton and Gareth Cross from Clifton.

If you are going to change it has to be definitely better for all not just a few.

If you want to dispatch more than 125 years of memorable history to see if the grass is greener on the other side, remember there will be no return.

Why not strive to improve standards where you are? Attend meetings, put forward ideas, or do you ditch everything in case it might be better?

Choose well people...