GREENMOUNT captain Andy Kerr is relishing the chance to take to the crease against fresh opponents following the publication of the Greater Manchester Cricket League’s fixture list for 2016.

The new league has attracted teams from across the region, with 13 sides choosing to take part from the Bury area.

While many of those clubs are near neighbours, most have never been in the same league before.

Greenmount, who have switched from the Bolton League, are one of four teams from across the borough to have been put into the GMCL Premier Division, which includes what are deemed to be the league's strongest 12 sides.

During the course of the season they will face Prestwich (Lancashire County League), Bury (Bolton Association) and Unsworth (Central Lancashire League).

Their first match of the season, on April 16, will be at former Lancashire County League side Denton St Lawrence, and they will entertain Unsworth in their opening home game the following Saturday.

“We can’t wait for it to get started,” said Kerr, who led Greenmount to Hamer Cup glory in their final season in the Bolton League.

“When you have played in a league for a long time you get used to your opponents and know pretty much what you are going to come up against.

“So this new league will present a completely new challenge for all of us.

“Personally, I have never played at Denton St Lawrence before, so we will go into opening game with a completely fresh slate, and it will be up to us to put our stamp on the league.

“Every side will want to be the first to win the title, and we will be going all out to try to achieve that.

“But with four teams relegated from a division of 12, we will have to be on our toes. Every game will mean something.”

The Greenmount squad has remained relatively unchanged from the side that finished sixth in the Bolton League this year.

Darren Foy has joined from local rivals Walshaw, who will start in Division One of the GMCL, while Chris Evans and Phil Ingram have gone to Bolton League sides Bradshaw and Horwich, respectively.

“We have kept the nucleus of the squad so it will be interesting to see how we get on,” added Kerr.

“There has always been that banter between the various leagues in the area, sort of ‘our league is better than yours’. Well now I guess we will find out.

“The funny thing is that because the Bury Times covered all the local leagues so well, you got to recognise the various players in the different teams in the town.

“Certain names would stand out in the scorecards and reports, and now we will get a chance to test ourselves against them.

“On paper, it looks like Prestwich are a very strong outfit, for example, but we will just have to wait and see how it pans out.”

Prestwich kick off their campaign with a match at home to Bolton Association regulars Flixton, while Bury entertain Bolton League champions Egerton and Unsworth host Denton West, formerly of the Lancashire County League.

There is also plenty of local interest further down the divisions.

The standout fixture of the opening weekend in Division One will see Woodbank host Walshaw, while both Radcliffe and Elton will kick off their campaigns with away matches.

The other local clubs to join the league are Brooksbottom and Stand in Division Two, and Tottington St John’s, East Lancs Paper Mill and Elton Vale, who have all bee placed in Division Four West.

Selected opening-day GMCL fixtures

Premier Division: Bury v Egerton, Denton St Lawrence v Greenmount, Prestwich v Flixton, Unsworth v Denton West.

Division One: Dukinfield v Radcliffe, Roe Green v Elton, Woodbank v Walshaw.

Division Two: Brooksbottom v South West Manchester, Stretford v Stand.

Division Four West: Elton 2s v Tottington St John’s, Walshaw 2s v East Lancs Paper Mill, Winton 2s v Elton Vale.