After grabbing the Commercial League crown last season, Leg Trappers cricket team are set to take a step up.

Bermuda Cricket Board of Control announced yesterday that the six-year-old side have had their application to join the First Division accepted.

The decision is good news both for the team and the BCBC as it means there will now be an even eight clubs in the division and the need for byes is therefore unnecessary.

Club treasurer and opening bat James Broadbent said he was delighted with the announcement, the first such elevation for a team since PHC made the jump in 1993.

"We joined the Commercial League six years ago and we have thoroughly enjoyed it," he said. "But over the last couple of years the size of our squad has increased and we have a fairly good side now. I think the number of good players we have got has increased and we thought it was time to test ourselves by going up a league and playing more competitive cricket."

Broadbent, whose team won the league in 1998 and achieved the league and cup double the following year, said it was a decision that was not taken lightly and he paid tribute to those his side would now be leaving behind.

"Naturally, if a team leaves the league is going to be poorer," he said. "But in the end we thought we had supported them for six years and were telling them now and not straight before the season starts.

"I wrote to Dave Carruthers and Ivan Clifford and told them how grateful we were to have been part of the league for six years and thanked them for the help and the work they had done. We certainly hope the Commercial League will continue to flourish."

Though they will be the new kids on the block, in terms of status if not in terms of the age of the majority of their players, Broadbent believes Leg Trappers will not be out of their depth in the First Division.

"As a team I think we should be able to fit in very well," he said. "We are certainly not saying we are going to go and win the league, but I think that from what we have come across before we should certainly be able to hold our own."

Leg Trappers are primarily made up of ex-pats and as such their addition to the league is somewhat of a rarity. However, Broadbent does not believe that that will be an issue when the season gets underway in late April.

"We are mainly ex-pat but we do have Bermudians as well," he said. "I would say we are probably 70 to 80 percent ex-pats.

"But a lot of the Commercial teams are fully Bermudian and we have always got along well. What's more some of our team have got experience of playing in this league a few years ago."

BCBC President Reggie Pearman welcomed Leg Trappers with open arms.

"This is a pleasing sign of the continued progression of Bermuda cricket at the senior level," he said. "To be able to offer improving sides an opportunity to play more competitive cricket on a regular basis is an important part of development. It also shows any new or ambitious club that a path to the Premier League is available to them.

"It is interesting to note that PHC, the side that comprehensively won the First Division last year (and) who will compete in the Premier Division, were a Commercial League side less than ten years ago."