IT LOOKS as if there will be cricket played at Great Horton next season.

The club only resigned from the JCT600 Bradford League last Thursday but the green light has been given by the Foster’s Halifax League to a proposed merger between the Wibsey Park Chapel and Great Horton clubs.

It would mean Wibsey moving from the former county ground at Bradford Park Avenue to Ewart Street for the start of the 2015 season.

Wibsey have acted quickly after Great Horton, founder members of the Bradford League, announced their resignation at last week’s annual meeting at Pudsey Congs.

The clubs plan to merge and the Halifax League’s executive, who met on Monday night, have given their approval for first and second-team matches to take place at Great Horton. Wibsey also run a third team, who play in the Dales Council League, and this side would continue to operate out of the Haycliffe Lane ground at Wibsey, where their juniors also play.

Halifax League secretary Neil Myers, who met officials from Great Horton on Sunday, said the league’s executive were in favour of the move, subject to seeing documents that the ground was held in trust and more details about how a merger would occur.

He added: “Wibsey Park Chapel will not be tenants – they intend to move lock, stock and barrel to Great Horton.

“It is a good opportunity for them to secure their future and develop.”

Myers said the league had requested some minor improvements to the Great Horton ground before next season, and further work over the next two years.

“The club will work closely with the league’s grounds committee,” he said.

Wibsey Park Chapel joined the Halifax League from the former Bradford Central League in 2009 and were Division Two champions the following year, only to go straight back down.

Myers added: “They have been good members and done everything we have asked.”

Wibsey have been on a rolling lease at vandal-hit Bradford Park Avenue, where they have limited facilities off the field and have found the upkeep of the large ground increasingly difficult.