NEARLY all of the umpires in Bolton's two cricket leagues are expected to join together in the town's new expanded league which gets underway next year.

Nearly all the Bolton Association umpires look likely to join up with their counterparts in the Bolton League.

Officials from both are due to meet next week to discuss linking up after members of the Bolton Association Umpires Association told their committee they wanted them to meet with the Bolton League Umpires Association.

It is expected next week's meeting will be a formality and that between 30 and 40 Bolton Association umpires will join forces with the Bolton League next season.

A handful who joined the Bolton Association when the Manchester Association folded are expected to go to the new Greater Manchester League while two are understood to be considering umpiring in other leagues.

The arrival of the majority of Bolton Association umpires will be a major boost to the Bolton League as they continue to try to build a successful new multi-division set-up under threat from the Greater Manchester League which has registered two clubs from the Bolton League and nine from the Bolton Association which will fold at the end of this season as a result.

The importance of having sufficient numbers of umpires could be vital to the success of the two leagues next season and if the Association umpires join the Bolton League in the numbers expected it will be seen as a major boost.