ASTLEY Bridge today confirmed they will remain in the Bolton Cricket League next season.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the club's main committee last night at which a vote was taken.

They voted 6-5 in favour of playing in the new expanded Bolton League with two abstentions.

For the club to go to the new Greater Manchester League the vote had to be three-quarters in favour of that option.

Astley Bridge were one of three Bolton League clubs undecided about whether to remain in the Bolton League – which is looking to increase from 14 clubs to at least 24 next season – or switch to the GMCL.

The others are Eagley and Egerton. Egerton meet tomorrow night for further discussions, although a vote may not be taken at that meeting.

Astley Bridge's decision means 11 of the Bolton League's 14 clubs have decided to stay. Greenmount are the only one so far to have resigned and gone to the Greater Manchester League.

Although Astley Bridge voted in favour last night, they will continue to monitor the situation in both leagues with a view to reviewing the situation next year.

They held three meetings leading up to last night's vote.

The first was a meeting of club members which was followed by its cricket committee meeting last week and then last night's main committee meeting to vote.

Chairman Barrie Cryer said: "The members meeting was poorly attended and fairly equal when we took a straw poll – I would say about 60-40 in favour of staying in the Bolton League.

"The main concerns were travel, the unknown and a lack of knowledge of both leagues.

"The committee got together last week and the main things that came out about the Greater Manchester League were that cricketers are worried about the travel and what the standards would be like.

"Last night I requested we got at least three-quarters of the vote to change and we got 6-5 in favour of staying, with two abstentions.

"We will be monitoring next season how things are in the league and we'll review early in 2017 to see how it went with a review of what happens, and if things are not going very well we will look at it again.

"The majority of people want to stay with a proviso that if things don't turn out as well as we hope we will look at it again."