THE Bolton Cricket League will not allow any clubs outside the league to play in its junior section next season.

It is the current policy of the league that only clubs whose teams are in the senior section can play in the junior sections.

The League say they do not intend to relax that stance next season when they expand to a new league of at least 20 clubs.

The issue was raised at a meeting of Bolton League officials on Monday night when nine applications from Bolton Association clubs to join the Bolton League were accepted.

It has become a point of discussion after Egerton became the second club of the League's 14 to resign and join the Greater Manchester League, and included in their statement announcing the decision: "Although the structure of junior cricket for a club like Egerton remains a concern the club is confident that this issue will be resolved by all leagues and the LCB working together to ensure increased participation."

Some Bolton League clubs are believed to have raised objections to the idea of changing relaxing the policy at their meeting on Monday.

League secretary Ray Taylor said: "The position of the Bolton League is that clubs from other leagues cannot play their junior cricket in the Bolton League. Any change to that policy would require a two-thirds majority at a future AGM."

It is understood the issue is unlikely to be discussed at this year's AGM in December.

If Egerton play their junior sides in the Greater Manchester League they are likely to be placed – along with the GMCL's other two Bolton clubs Bolton Indians and Deane and Derby – in a region either containing Bury clubs or containing Salford clubs plus Astley and Tyldesley and Westleigh.