DENTON St Lawrence hit the road to start their defence of the Greater Manchester Cricket League double.They to Moorside and Clifton on April 18 and 25 before their first home match against Roe Green on May 2.
St Lawrence walked away with both the premier league title and the Derek Kay Cup in a memorable 2019 campaign.
Now sides are gearing up to take their trophies off them – but they are determined to keep their hands on them.
Denton West begin their GMCL, Premier League two campaign with anime match against Stand, while Flowery Field host Greenmount on April 18.
And Denton start their championship season with a home fixture against Swinton Moorside while Mottram start their inaugural GMCL season with a division one tie at Stretford before hosting Droylsden.
GMCL bosses still hold out hope of getting 200 entrants for the 2020 season – at the turn of the year, they had 199 with 130 in the Saturday competition, 36 in the 16-game Sunday competition and 33 in the 12-game competition.
On top of that, there are another 60 teams in the GMCL20 competition.
League chairman Martyn Kay said: “The increase in numbers is not just down to new clubs joining the league.
“But also to our original member clubs growing and adding teams which is great news for the clubs and for the young players taking part in the longer games and filling those slots in our senior cricket.
“We have five new clubs joining the Saturday competition in 2020 – Mottram and Hadfield St Andrews from the Derbyshire and Cheshire League.
“Milnrow from the Lancashire League, Bradshaw and Daisy Hill are the other teams joining us as full members.
“These are five great new grounds for us to play at, and we know they will add to the quality of our competition.”
Both Denton St Lawrence and Flowery Field will have sides in the GMCL20 under the guise of Denton Saints, who open up against Glossop on May 1 and Flowery Falcons, who tale on Stayley Scorpions on the same day.
Saints’ second XI start their season in division 2B at home to Whalley Range while Denton West’s seconds head to Wythenshawe.
Denton’s seconds head to Glodwick to begin their division three east season while in Sunday division ‘A’, West’s third XI start by facing Mottram, Flowery Field’s Europa side takes on Denton St Lawrence’s thirds and Newton’s third XI is up against Denton’s thirds on April 19.