THE EXPANSION OF the Cheshire Pyramid is set to gather pace over the next few months with the formalisation of plans to incorporate 27 new clubs into the structure. 13 clubs have applied for 12 places in the Meller Braggins Cheshire League. These are Cheadle Hulme Ladybridge, Disley, Mellor and Romiley from the Glossop League, Birkenhead St Mary's, Caldy, Irby, Old Parkonians, Port Sunlight, Runcorn and Wirral/Mersey Park from the Merseyside Competition, Weston from the North Staffordshire League and Crewe Rolls Royce from the North Staffordshire & South Cheshire League. By the year 2000 the Meller Braggins Cheshire League will have three divisions of 12 clubs.

The one club not chosen from the 13 will join the Cheshire Cricket Alliance along with Shell/Westminster Park from the North West Counties League, Bunbury, Frodsham, Latchford & Padgate, Maxonians, Metal Box and Moore & Daresbury from the Cheshire Association, Rostherne from the South Lancashire League, Capenhurst, Castrol, Liscard Central and Octel from the Wirral League and a new club, Stretton from the Chester area. In addition, the third teams of Eastham & Bromborough Pool, Port Sunlight and Old Parkonians, along with Caldy's fourth team (all Merseyside Competition) will also join the alliance. The Cheshire Cricket Alliance will thus have 42 clubs and a total of 73 teams ranging from 1st to 4th XI's playing in six divisions. The top division will be a premier league of 12, whilst subsequent divisions will be organised on an east/west regional basis.

By the end of the year 2000 it will be hoped that automatic promotion and relegation on the basis of two up/two down will take place between the 1st Division of the Meller Braggins Cheshire League and the 3rd Division of the Murray Smith Cheshire County League and the premier division of the Cheshire Alliance and the 3rd Division of the Meller Braggins Cheshire League. Thus a structure will be created which will provide an opportunity for the lowliest village club to rise to the top of Cheshire cricket provided grounds and facilities reach each organisation's required standards.

One unfortunate outcome of this process is that several leagues will be brought to the point of extinction. Only one league will cease to exist so far: the Cheshire Association, but the Glossop League will be down to nine clubs and the South Lancashire League to seven. No club from the Derbyshire & Cheshire League has applied to the Cheshire pyramid, but that league is actively seeking to expand to two divisions. It is hoped that clubs can be accommodated within existing leagues and will not go out of existence because of the changes.