RAMSBOTTOM voted overwhelmingly in favour of staying in the Lancashire League at a meeting last Thursday.

The club had considered leaving to join the Greater Manchester League following concerns about the future direction of the Lancashire League.

Cricket chairman Andy Dalby said there were fears expansion from 14 to 17 teams, following the introduction of Darwen, Clitheroe and Great Harwood, would have a serious impact on third XI cricket, putting the development of youngsters at risk.

But after gaining assurances from LCB managing director Bobby Denning and Lancashire League chief Mike Bibby that the two parties were working together to introduce a multi-tiered set-up in the future, he was happy to vote remain.

"As we saw it, the introduction of a 32-game season would be the death of third-team cricket as there would have been too many double headers and not enough time or the facilities to devote to our younger members," he said.

"There was too much toing and froing from the Lancashire League about the exact number of fixtures we would be playing next season.

"But after seeking assurances from the Lancashire League and the LCB, we are now happy they are going through the correct process to avoid a 32-game season.

"I was toing and froing myself about which decision to take until we got those assurances.

"But in the end I was happy to vote remain, and I think the vote was 90 per cent in favour of staying in the end."

Dalby praised the role played by the GMCL in helping members come to a decision and backed the league to flourish in the future.

"The GMCL were exemplary in all of this," he said.

"Our players and members asked for them to come to talk to us, not the other way around, as they wanted to know their options.

"We are committed to multi-tiered cricket, with promotion and relegation. I believe GMCL are heading in the right direction and will grow into a very strong league in the future."