By Westmorland Cricket League historian John Glaister

GRASSROOT cricket is suffering a national demise. According to the England and Wales Cricket board there were 64,000 less participants in 2014. The reasons are multifarious but perhaps the most worrying is the number of young players exiting the game before their teenage years are over. The Westmorland Cricket League (WCL) is not exempt from this malaise.

It was this very reason that forced a change of philosophy at the Shireshead and Forton Club. They have invested heavily in youth from within but over the last couple of years have enlisted from without. The reward was immediate with last season’s classic League and Cup double. This year they will field one of the strongest looking teams in WCL history.

Joining their ranks is Phil Bovis, arguably the best out and out pure batsman the WCL has seen. Shireshead will be his fourth WCL club since 2002 and the other three all benefitting from his gorging on runs. With Phil alongside Phil Oliver, the dynamic duo of Peter Wilson and Danny Wilkinson, the Rafferty brothers et al it is an awesome looking side that captain Paul Yates has at his disposal.

With such an array of talent, the Clifton Park Club start as favourites to emulate last season but they are not the banker of last season.

It was a feeble WCL in 2014. This year looks to be the diametric opposite. Some old fashioned head to head village cricket games are on the agenda with several clubs strengthened

Head of the pack that will be gunning for Shires are Arnside and the contrast couldn’t be starker. Like the powerful Westgate side of the recent past Arnside comprise a team that grew together from boys into men. They now have what they sorely wanted - a pair of strike bowlers who don’t know what it is to tire. Only in Division One of the WCL is a captain unrestricted when it comes to managing his senior bowlers.

The new pair are Adam Cowperthwaite returning to the club of his boyhood from Kendal CC and Lee Illingworth from neighbours Milnthorpe.

The one advantage they hold over Shires is youth and fitness. That may prove crucial. Tickets for their two matches will be at a premium.

Last year’s runners-up may well fall just short again despite some significant signings. Warton are the past masters at recruiting. Darren Moore, formerly of Kendal, and class batsman and two young bowlers in Ryan Needham, ex of Heysham and Steven Beck of the now defunct Moor Hospital Club, have signed on.

Unfortunately Dan Dixon who just gets better and better will miss the off with a broken toe and Jack Brown is in ‘Oz’. The loss of his wickets may well be decisive but captain Gareth Finney still has much to look forward to.

Shireshead, Arnside and Warton are the ‘F1’ WCL teams this season but Westgate could unsettle all three.

The way the Crosshill Park dug-in and regrouped after the loss of Messrs Wilson and Wilkinson who underpinned all their achievements has to be admired. The driving force at the club is secretary Chris Hill and on the park his son Andrew. Leading by example his runs and wickets lay the foundation for others. The much underrated Andrew Nisbet is still doing the business with the ball and with Dylan Cowroy back from Lancaster he has a yoke mate.

Milnthorpe and Windermere are examples of clubs who didn’t go on to fulfil their true potential after their championship years of 2003 and 2006 respectively. Time has caught up with an ageing Milnthorpe side but youth does manifest itself in the shape of brothers Tom and James Parkinson. Captain Steve Bowman will have the frustrating task of rotating his young charges to comply with the ECB fast bowler directive. Happily ‘Pos’ Pennington is back and Sam Woodburn should continue to blossom.

If Windermere can manage to talk Jono Cooper out of a sabbatical they would have a side reminiscent of glory days past. His all-rounders partnership with Nick Lewthwaite is legion and Nick is back from Kendal. Brother and captain Mike Lewthwaite has a good looking core squad who will hold their own if they remain committed.

Commitment must also be the byword at Heysham if they are to threaten with their bowling attack they are quite capable of taking on the ‘F1’ teams but are just as likely to fall away if interest is not maintained. Graham Cassidy is back from ‘Oz’ which helps. With James Whincup as captain, all rounder Andrew Ideson back in harness and Reg Cupit and Sam Calverley raring to go this is bad side.

There was only one big shock last season. In fact it was seismic. No club is more WCL than Burneside. They are the embodiment of local village cricket. First division residents since 1961 they should be playing division two this year. It was only because Shireshead ‘A’ finished r/u leaving only one to be demoted that they are not. That scenario is unlikely this year.

Returning Chris Dixon is the new captain. In the nucleus of his team are seasoned and very good players but the one to watch is 17 year old Ethan Ellwood. In short Burneside will have to do everything much, much better than they did last year. A WCL first division with Burneside would be like bowling at wickets without bails.

Cricket on the ground floor will be fought out by four clubs who are likely to spend the whole season looking over their shoulders. There are plans afoot to restructure the five divisions of the SCL. Two historic clubs Ibis and Moor Hospital have gone into liquidation over the last year. The equalise the divisions three first division clubs are to be demoted and one promoted. The consequence would be a premier division playing 18 league games in 2016 not 22.

The three likely demotes are Bare, Sedgwick and Silverdale but with Ambleside by no means secure. All four clubs have lost personnel and that is their problem.

At Silverdale and Sedgwick the player dearth is critical. Graham Dodds has ended his love affair with the summer game and the availability of Jack Hargreaves is uncertain because of his work situation. They were perhaps the two Silverdale could least afford to lose.

At Sedgwick the loss of rising star Joe Portman to Netherfield is crushing. Kevin Williams has returned to Cartmel and Simon Willacy has just had an operation. No new names will be on their scorecards.

A tough season ahead chaps. Backs to the wall.