THE Bolton Cricket League are supporting the Pennine League in its battle to prevent a mass exodus of clubs.

The Pennine League is in danger of losing clubs to the Lancashire League in a scenario similar to that which saw the Bolton Association lose so many clubs to the Greater Manchester League it ceased to exist as an active league.

The Bolton League, who many believed would fold due to the introduction of the GMCL but has since expanded and strengthened, are backing the Pennine League in their fight to continue offering a good quality local league on the east side of Manchester as they have on the west.

Both the Bolton and Pennine leagues had a successful season after expanding to counter the threat to their existence posed by the creation of the GMCL.

While the Bolton League has grown from 14 to 20 clubs, the Pennine League stands at 24 after a merger between the former Central Lancashire League and Saddleworth League.

Traditional local leagues have steadily been under threat in the last two years due to a change in how some see local cricket should be structured.

While some want to retain established leagues, others want new bigger leagues with several divisions.

Crucially, the county's governing body, the Lancashire Cricket Board (LCB), has gone on record as wanting a structure incorporating three big multi-division leagues – one in Greater Manchester, one in Liverpool and the other in the north of Lancashire.

The Bolton Association officials believe they did not receive any support when they were fighting to try to keep their league – the oldest in Lancashire – alive two years ago.

The Bolton League, who watched the demise of the Association from close quarters while they were taking action to ensure they too did not fall victim to the push for a multi-division league in the area, are concerned about the future of the Pennine League with whom they have had a long association.

Bolton League secretary Ray Taylor said: "I admire the ambition of the Lancashire League, however two directives on the movement of clubs have been issued by the Lancashire Cricket Board in the past 12 months and these should be honoured.

"Hopefully during the early Spring problems can be resolved without bias towards or away from particular leagues."

Two Pennine League clubs are known to be considering joining the Lancashire League, who have no trouble attracting interest from new clubs due to their reputation for having the best standards of grounds and facilities in the area.

Two more clubs are understood to be considering making the switch with rumours as many as three more could be interested.

Pennine League officials are concerned an exodus of clubs could severely weaken them or even threaten their existence.

They met with Bolton League officials last week to discuss the situation, the outcome of which was that a letter of complaint was sent to the LCB and a request made that the matter was discussed at a recreational cricket meeting of the LCB last Monday which most local cricket leagues in Lancashire attended.

In a statement the Pennine League said: "The officials of the PCL remain committed to provide the best possible cricket in the league, and intend to seek permission from the next league meeting on February 7 to advertise for clubs to apply to join the PCL.

"The Bolton League are fully behind us and are supporting our moves to prevent major disruption to either of our leagues, and are also concerned that there does not appear to be a formal, binding agreement between the Lancashire and Ribblesdale Leagues."