THE biggest decision in Bolton cricket's 127-year history will be made by clubs tonight.

Bolton Cricket League clubs will vote on whether to expand the league in a potentially do-or-die decision for league cricket in the town.

If clubs vote for expansion the Bolton League will look to strengthen and go to two or even three divisions.

If they vote against it will be seen as the possible death knell for the town's two cricket leagues with its current teams likely to gradually leave for a multi-division structure as is happening in other parts of Greater Manchester and the country.

League cricket has existed in Bolton since 1888 when the Bolton Association was the second league in the world to be formed.

Its elite clubs broke away to form the Bolton League in 1930 and both leagues have continued to run ever since.

The proposal facing 13 clubs in the Bolton League's tonight is whether they want to increase in size to form two or even three divisions from next summer.

The proposal for change came about following the formation of a new Greater Manchester Cricket League which is offering a multi-division structure and is inviting clubs in the area to join.

A total of 39 clubs mainly from six leagues in the area have joined so far, including one of the 14 in the Bolton League and six of the 18 in the Bolton Association.

Two of those six leagues will fold after this season as one has gone to the GM League en bloc and the other has lost virtually all its clubs to it. The existence of the other four leagues is also under threat from the GM League.

None of the 16 clubs in the two Bolton leagues who are situated within the borders of Bolton have yet signed up.

Bolton is seen among Greater Manchester League supporters as the main area of resistance to their plans.

Supporters of Bolton league cricket believe Bolton has a high concentration of the best quality clubs in the region and a lot to lose and little to gain by joining the GM League.

A majority of five is needed at the vote at Tonge Cricket Club tonight to carry the motion.

If they vote for expansion, which The Bolton News believe is likely to happen, the Bolton League will look to increase from 14 to at least 24 clubs next season.

That may include 11 clubs from The Bolton Association who met at Adlington Cricket Club on Friday night at which it was generally agreed to move en bloc to the Bolton League if invited.

A potential second vote tonight will be taken on whether to accept the Bolton Association clubs, although that vote may be deferred to later in the week if Bolton League clubs feel they need more information before voting on it.

There are currently 14 clubs in the Bolton League – who, along with the Central Lancashire League on the east side of Manchester, are seen as the outstanding quality leagues of the six currently running in the Greater Manchester area.

Greenmount are expected to abstain from tonight's vote as they are the one to have resigned from the League to join the GM League.

There is also a question mark over whether Egerton will vote.

They have not yet held their meeting to decide on their future destination. They met to discuss it a week and a half ago when they agreed to hold an extraordinary general meeting this Thursday.

Egerton's club secretary – chairman of the Bolton League – Mike Hall is also a high profile member of the Greater Manchester League's steering group and was one of its four-man prospectus presentation team at Old Trafford at the end of April.

Read the outcome of tonight's vote at boltonnewssport.co.uk tonight.

n Bolton Association: It's time to join up with Bolton League – page ??