THE Bolton Cricket League begins a new era tomorrow when the new season starts with 21 clubs involved.

Eight clubs begin life in a new league after joining from the Bolton and District Cricket Association – which has entered into a period of suspension after losing all its clubs – with a ninth, Lostock, having a rest day.

With Egerton and Greenmount having left the League for the new Greater Manchester Cricket League, it leaves 12 of the 14 League clubs who finished last season.

The league has a real local feel with 15 of the 21 members situated within the Bolton geographic boundaries and another four – Atherton, Adlington, Little Hulton and Walkden – on the doorstep.

The increased size of the league has created a real buzz among clubs and players who are looking forward to the new challenge of playing in an expanded league which will go to two divisions next year – the top 11 this season forming the Premier Division, although the League is hoping to attract three more clubs to bring its number up to 24 for 2017.

The favourites for the title are Farnworth Social Circle, Farnworth, Bradshaw and Westhoughton with Horwich many people's outside bet, while Atherton are tipped to fare the best among the new clubs.

For Bradshaw it is another chance to challenge with the big question whether they remain in the shake-up all season.

The Rigby’s outfit last won the league title in 1992 although there have been some near misses like in 2014 when they finished second, only seven points behind champions Social Circle.

Last year they were the early pacesetters but a late dip in form saw them slip to fifth at the end.

But now, with the addition of professional, Pakistan starlet Shahzaib Ahmed, along with the signings of Atiq-uz-Zaman and Chris Evans, skipper Nick Lester believes they have enough firepower to mount a serious challenge at the top of the table.

“We aim to win the league,” Lester said. “We always set out from the start of the season to win the league and we are always up there challenging.

“It will be interesting going to new grounds and playing against new players we have never played against before.

“Our pro has a good pedigree and has been around the Pakistan under-18s squad for quite a while.

“We were lucky that his tour of India with the Pakistan team was called off on security grounds and we snatched up the opportunity to sign him as soon as we heard he was available.

“I am looking forward to seeing him run through teams, taking wickets and winning us games.”

Farnworth have been active in the transfer market during the winter, recruiting Kearsley trio Jack Horrocks, Lee Bridge and Nakash Qamar, Heaton’s Imran Mirza and Tonge’s Iain McLellan but have lost Curtis Anderton to Little Lever and Chris Baxendale to Kearsley.

Farnworth have also added Sri Lankan Dinuk Hettiarachchi as their new professional, and skipper Simon Booth says: “The aim is to win as many games as possible. Everyone expects us to be challenging up there but we just want to give a good account of ourselves.

“We are really happy with the squad we have got this year and we have promoted a couple of lads from the second team too.”

Meanwhile, Eagley, who finished fourth from bottom in last year’s Bolton League, will be looking for an improved performance after re-signing 2014 professional Agha Salman.

Skipper captain Danny Counsell said: “We are looking to better last year and hopefully finish in the top half.

“The lads have hopefully matured a little bit. The spirit has been good in training and we are all looking forward to getting going again.”

Weekend fixtures

Saturday

Astley Bridge v Farnworth, Atherton v Daisy Hill, Blackrod v Standish, Eagley v Little Hulton, Farnworth Social Circle v Adlington, Heaton v Darcy Lever, Little Lever v Horwich RMI, Tonge v Golborne, Walkden v Kearsley, Westhoughton v Bradshaw.

Sunday

Royal London Club Championship National Knockout: Leyland v Horwich, Eagley v St Annes, Marple v Daisy Hill, Kearsley v Dukinfield, Bamford Fieldhouse v Little Lever, Darcy Lever v Hyde, Clifton v Farnworth.