BURY Cricket Club will be captained by Karl Belston this season after his brother Simon emigrated to Australia.

Simon, aged 28, stepped down as skipper last year after five years at the helm, but was expected to return after the 2015 captain Sean Gibson moved to Flowery Field.

However, the opening batsman, who has scored more than 6,000 runs for the Radcliffe Road club, left England on Sunday to start a new life Down Under with his wife Kim and their daughters Lexi, aged five, and Macie, 18 months.

"I will miss the lads, everybody associated with the club, and the cricket," said Simon before leaving for Australia.

"I was looking forward to taking Bury into the Greater Manchester League, but family comes first.

"I have served the club with pride, but now it is time to go to pastures new. I am looking forward to the new challenge and I know I am leaving the first team in good hands."

Simon joined Bury as a 10-year-old, quickly playing his way up the junior ranks to break into the first team aged 15.

He has been a first-team regular for more than 10 years, taking more than 250 wickets and 125 catches as well as plundering thousands of runs in that time.

As skipper, Simon led the team to the Manchester and District Cricket Association title and cup, while his own personal highlight was winning the Bolton Association's Cross Cup in 2014.

His only brief time away from the first team was during two stints on a busman's holiday in Australia, during which time he met his wife Kim.

"I spent a winter in Australia playing first grade cricket for Palm Beach Currumbin," he recalled, initially spending six months on the Gold Coast from September, 2007 to April, 2008.

"I was team-mates with Mark Wood, who is obviously now playing for England, but, more importantly, I also met Kim there.

"I came back in time to play for Bury again, but like a love sick teenager I decided to go back half way through the season, leaving in July, which caused a bit of a rumpus.

"We (Simon and Kim) eventually came back to England together, intending to start a family, which we did, having two lovely daughters.

"But the plan was always in the back of our minds to return to Australia.

"We almost went last year. It fell through, but this year Kim was offered a really good job opportunity that she couldn't turn down.

"I am going to be a house husband at first, but I am sure I will find work and I have a good few months to get in at a club before the cricket season begins in Australia.

"My only regret, I suppose, is that I won't be around to play for Bury in the Greater Manchester Premier Division.

"It is something we have been working towards as a club for a long time, and great reward for the chairman, Mark Smith, especially.

"But you couldn't hope to leave the team in better hands than your brother, could you?

"One thing I am really happy about is that I was able to help the team win the Cross Cup. That was a cracking day and a cracking result for the club, to beat Edgworth and lift that trophy.

"The celebrations with the chairman were quite something because I knew what it meant to him – it was a day I will never forget."

While Simon is globetrotting, the Belston clan will continue to be well represented at Bury CC.

Simon's dad, Wayne, is heavily involved with the committee, while his uncle Paul organises the juniors and his two cousins, Jordon and Lleyton, play for the first and third teams, respectively.

And while Karl will take over the reins at first team level, Simon's other brother, Craig, is an important member of the second team.