EGERTON have hit out at the Bolton Cricket League, claiming they are "holding member clubs to ransom" with their junior section rules.

Egerton became the second club to leave the Bolton League last week, and the first Bolton club from the town's two leagues to join the Greater Manchester League.

The main sticking point in making their decision was where their junior sides would play.

Their juniors have always played in the Bolton League who do not allow non-member clubs to play in their junior section.

When Egerton made the decision to move leagues they hoped there could be some flexibility to give their juniors the option of continuing playing in Bolton.

The Bolton League, who are expanding to two divisions to beat off the threat to Bolton league cricket posed by the emergence of the GMCL, have since confirmed they have no plans to discuss the issue in the foreseeable future.

Egerton now face playing junior away games against Bury clubs or Salford and surrounding clubs.

While they say they are disappointed with the Bolton League stance on its rules – which they call "outdated" – they believe the travel to Bury clubs will not be much different to what they experience now in the Bolton League and that the move to the GMCL will see more juniors playing cricket.

In a statement issued to The Bolton News giving an insight into the factors that led to their decision to change leagues, the club said: "The issue of travel for juniors was discussed at length and was possibly the only sticking point.

"But there are some excellent clubs close by including those in Bolton who have also decided to join the GM set up.

"The likes of Greenmount, Walshaw, Elton, Clifton, Tottington etc are no worse travel wise than Westhoughton, Walkden or Horwich in fact in many cases they are better.

"The key for Egerton is that this will result in more juniors playing cricket than at present which can only be good for the game.

"We feel strongly that the decision of the Bolton Cricket League to restrict access to its successful junior set up is not just disappointing for Egerton CC but also for the many boys and girls who want to play this great game of ours but who now might not get the opportunity in the BCL.

"But that’s the League’s prerogative and possibly an opportunity missed.

"At this club we believe in allowing as many children as possible to play the game in a locality that encourages that to happen and not to be restricted by outdated League rules that appear to hold member clubs to ransom and require parents to travel across town in the early evening when traffic is at its worst.

"We believe that in the future junior cricket will change to a more sensible district based grouping perhaps not even under the auspices of an individual league structure and we are now more than comfortable with our decision."

The criticism was put to the secretary of the Bolton League, Ray Taylor, who said: "I wish Egerton Cricket club and the Greater Manchester Cricket League all the best for the future."