Cumbria League Premier Division champions Carlisle will be playing in the Northern League in 2025.
The Edenside club applied to join the Northern League and heard over the weekend that it had been successful.
Chairman Mike Rayson said: “It hasn’t been a spur of the moment thing. I suppose it’s been talked about for six months or more and I have to say that it has been a player-led initiative.
“We put a 10-year plan into operation and have early reached that stage and I think we have seen progress all round the club. This has now been seen as the next step.”
Alex Diver, the Northern League secretary, said: “The Northern Premier Cricket League, and ECB Premier League were delighted to announce that after a vote from our clubs at our Annual General Meeting, we were able to accept Carlisle Cricket Club’s application for 2025.
“In 2023 alongside the Moore and Smalley Palace Shield and the Westmorland League advertised our proposals for an expansion to a two division ECB Premier League.
“It was pleasing to see Carlisle apply at this stage. They are a fantastically run club, who have dominated the Cumbrian league in recent years. They will be an asset to the Northern Premier League for seasons to come.
“We are aiming to finalise our structure for 2025 by April 2024 so there is still a small window if any other clubs are looking for a challenge.”
Carlisle won the Cumbria League Premier Division title for the first time in 2019 – their first championship for 37 years when they had won the North Lancashire League title.
With no cricket in 2020 due to Covid, the Edenside club lost out to Furness for the title in 2021 but regained it in 2022 and held onto the crown this year as they pipped Furness on the final day.
