Darwen Cricket Club have lost their top bowler.
Andrew Mercer has told colleagues he will be playing for Orrell Red Triangle in the Liverpool Competition First Division next season.
He said: "I've played for Darwen Firsts for ten seasons, travelling to the same grounds and playing against the same players. I need a new challenge, new faces, rules, grounds and wickets, which will hopefully get my hunger back."
Mercer, one of the Northern Premier League's top bowlers for several years, also said he didn't feel that last season was "correctly motivated".
He had lost the captaincy to Keith Semple who was playing his last season at Darwen and, by his standards, had a poor season with just 27 wickets. He had averaged 50 over the previous few years.
Paceman Mercer explained: "Obviously there are financial issues as well.
"But the plan is to have two or three years away from Darwen before returning to maybe have a go at the captaincy again and continue playing at my spiritual home till I'm old and grey"
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