Ex-UNSWORTH and Radcliffe cricketer Sean Gibson will replace Simon Belston as Bury Cricket Club captain for the 2015 season.

Belston, who captained Bury from 2008-2014, steps down as skipper having last year guided them to fourth in the Bolton Association table, third in the top-six play off and a Cross Cup title.

And although newcomer Gibson knows he has large boots to fill in replacing him, he is optimistic for the challenge.

“It's a very good opportunity and it felt like the right thing to do. Simon Belston has been the captain since 2008, which is a ridiculously long time.

“It just felt like a perfect fit and a new challenge.”

Gibson captained Radcliffe during 2014 before stepping down and moving to Unsworth for the remainder of the season.

“The experience of being captain at Radcliffe last year before moving to Unsworth for the last 10 games of the season will obviously stand me in good stead.

“I'm looking forward to getting started."

He joins alongside this year’s professional Ashen Silva, who replaces Nekoli Parris following his move to Little Hulton

Silva finished as the second highest run-scorer on the Sri-Lankan first class circuit in 2012 and was unlucky not be selected for the national team for 2013’s test-series against Bangladesh having been named in captain Angelo Matthew’s 30-man squad.

“He's performed really well this year in Sri Lanka in first class cricket. It gives him great credentials to come here and play.”

“It's the first time he's been to England and he looked pretty cold when I saw him last week! He just needs to get used to it and hopefully he'll be really good for us.

“I'm certainly excited to have him here."

Due to a rule change which now allows only a single overseas player or professional, Bury have also lost their popular overseas player Matt Twentyman from Melbourne.

“I think the whole league will be poorer for it because I've done it in the opposite direction by playing in New Zealand and it helped me a lot, and helped me grow up.

“There's less opportunity for guys like that to come over here which is a bit sad.”

They have however signed Neil Tonge from Woodhouses of the Lancashire County League and Gibson believes it is a strong addition.

“Neil has played across a number of clubs. He's got a lot of experience and is a really good bowler."

The concentration now for Gibson and his Bury team is preparing for the upcoming season after such wholesale changes to the squad and the loss of a senior figure.

“We want to go as high as possible in the league.

“We finished third last year but beat the eventual winners Flixton on all the occasions we played them so the title is something I think we can win.”

Bury’s second XI has this year seen captain Matt Metcalfe replaced by Chris Potts after a respectable seventh place finish in last year’s table.

Meanwhile the third XI looks to consolidate its position in Division Four of the North Manchester Cricket League after last year’s relegation.