BURY Cricket Club will play in the Bolton Association from next season.

The Radcliffe Road outfit will replace Spring View who are leaving to join the Liverpool Competition after 20 years in the Association.

Bury got the vote ahead of Bolton Cricket Club and Deane and Derby, who are also from Bolton.

All three play in the Manchester Association, Bury in the Premier Division – in which they are currently top – and the other two in the First Division.

Executive members of the Bolton Association inspected the facilities and met the committee members of all three clubs last week before making their recommendation to the league’s 13 member clubs at a meeting on Friday night.

Association secretary, Peter Crook, said: “We were very impressed with Bury’s facilities and with their plans for the future.

“They will be a welcome addition to the Bolton Association. They have good facilities and a very good square, and they are building a new clubhouse for the start of next season.”

Bury’s decision to switch leagues will surprise many as there had been no hint they were looking to leave and were one of the Manchester Association’s established clubs.

“It is a big thing for them to leave the Manchester Association to join us,” said Crook. “They have been in the Manchester Association for as long as I can remember, and the Bolton Association are very happy to welcome them into our league.”

Spring View, who are based in the centre of Wigan, will begin life in the Liverpool Competition in the third of its three-tier structure.