THE Bolton Cricket League has assured present and future clubs they can look forward to a bright future in the new expanded league.

The League has 22 clubs so far and is still open to accept more ahead of tomorrow night's deadline for clubs to resign from their current league.

And league president Frank Hinks says they can all expect a good, well-run league.

He issued a statement to The Bolton News due to concerns about rumours and speculation which have been rife on social media about how successful the three new league structures in the area are going to be and how they are all going to operate.

The three leagues are the Bolton League, the Greater Manchester League and the Pennine League situated on the east of Manchester.

The Bolton League believe they have a solid and good quality model at present and are confident that will continue in the future.

As well as offering good quality first-team cricket, they point to being well-organised and tried and tested for second teams and juniors.

Hinks said: "The Bolton Cricket League has been established since 1930 and has had some great international players over the years and quite a number of amateurs have risen to play county cricket at Lancashire and various other counties.

"Anyone joining the Bolton Cricket League will be more than welcome and know what they are getting as we have a proven track record of consistency and fairness.

"We are looking forward to a positive and exciting future for the League and all Bolton Cricket League clubs."

The Bolton League has an impressive track record of being the most successful league on the pitch in the Greater Manchester area, closely followed by the Central Lancashire League who are merging with the Saddleworth League to form the new Pennine League.

Three of the other leagues – the Lancashire County League, the Bolton Association, Saddleworth League – are next in terms of quality of teams with the other league – the North Manchester League – lower down.

The North Manchester League and the Lancashire County League will form the basis of the Greater Manchester League.

It currently has 47 clubs which also include eight from the Bolton Association, two from the Bolton League and four each from the Central Lancashire and Saddleworth leagues.

Bury is a heartland of the GMCL with 12 of the town's 14 clubs having come together there – which could have risen to 13 if Radcliffe voted to join at their decision-making meeting last night – with the Denton area also providing a glut of clubs.

Bolton League officials meet tonight with the 10 Bolton Association clubs who are joining them next season to explain how the new structure will work and the plans for going to two divisions in the future.