ATHERTON Cricket Club will be playing in the new expanded Bolton Cricket League next season.

They are one of nine Bolton Association clubs who were accepted into a new expanded Bolton Cricket League on Monday night.

The Bolton Association will fold at the end of the current season and a cloud of uncertainty has hung over their clubs over the last few weeks.

Seven of the Association's 18 clubs have resigned to join the new Greater Manchester League, with another two resigning without deciding on their next move.

With the Association destined to go out of existence due to the flood of departures, the other nine clubs were unsure where they would be playing cricket in the future.

All wanted to remain in a Bolton structure rather than the Greater Manchester League, with Atherton – who won the Association league title two years ago – firmly of that opinion.

They were not one of the seven clubs who resigned from the Association and always stood firmly by their league, and see the Bolton League – which has so far risen from its current 14 members to a confirmed 20 – as the best fit for them.

Atherton are going well this season on the field, despite seeing this as a transitional season in which they are blooding young talent.

They are currently third and believe they are not playing particularly well.

They are also looking forward to a big day at the club a week on Sunday when their Past Players Association stage a game between two teams of ex-players to celebrate the 25th anniversary of them winning the league title.