OF LATE there has been a great deal of press coverage, both locally and in Greater Manchester, given over to the overtures made by the Central Lancashire League to the Lancashire Cricket League to consider the possibilities of an amalgamation.

This has been, as all must recognise, a one-way traffic and, as the Lancashire League secretary has pointed out, the Central Lancashire League's approach has been circulated to all Lancashire League clubs for their consideration in turn.

This is, of course, a matter of protocol into which nothing should be read and notwithstanding the published opinions of some, the issue is one where the decision will need to be made by the memberships of the 14 clubs of this league, should the subject ever reach such a critical stage. There are, self-evidently, one thousand and one reasons, both financial and otherwise, which mitigate against any such alliance, and they need not be gone into here, but it is imperative that everyone involved recognises the main point at issue. It is this. The acceptance of the proposal involves the end of the Lancashire Cricket League, as no matter how the hybrid which would result from such an amalgamation was titled, the League as it has evolved from 1892 would be gone.

It will be an enlightenment to the majority to see which club, if any, voluntarily stigmatises itself by voting to bring to an end the 107-year history of the Lancashire Cricket League. It would, in my opinion, be a foolhardy step which would remain long in the memories of those clubs which did no such thing.

J HOULDSWORTH, Larch Road, Oswaldtwistle.

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