Banbury's two main clubs have amalgamated with immediate effect to “provide the best possible standard of cricket within the town”.

Members of Banbury and Banbury Twenty voted on the union – which will see the new club field five senior teams – at their respective annual meetings.

The amalgamated clubs will play under the name Banbury Cricket, but the grounds at White Post Road, Bodicote and Ermont Way, Grimsbury will continue to operate under their original management.

And with Twenty having struggled with dwindling player numbers in recent seasons, the merger is not wholly unexpected.

Banbury’s first and second teams will play at White Post Road, with their third and fourths at Ermont Way and the fifths at Horton View.

Martin Phillips and Brian Griffiths will act as joint chairmen, while Ian Hawtin is the first-team captain.

Phillips, the former Banbury chairman, said: “The main reason for the amalgamation is to ensure that good club cricket is available in Banbury for years to come.

“The two clubs have produced great cricketers over the years, from Brian Jeffries to Keith Arnold to Robert Cunliffe to Luke Ryan.

“Protecting both clubs’ proud histories is important, but more so is ensuring Banbury’s stars of the future have as good, if not better opportunities than those who have gone before them.”

Griffiths, who was Twenty’s chairman, said: “The idea of an amalgamation was raised by our committee at the end of the 2011 season.

“We have been delighted with the reception the idea has received from the membership of both clubs.

“Everyone has been focusing on the many positives ahead and we are excited at the standard and variety of cricket we will see at both grounds in 2012.”

Banbury will field sides in the Home Counties Premier League and Divisions 1, 3, 5 and 7 of the Cherwell League.

The merger means that Twenty’s second team are effectively withdrawn from the Cherwell League – having finished last in Division 5 in 2011.

As a result, the teams who finished third in Divisions 7 to 10, namely Aston Rowant 3rd, Abingdon Vale 3rd, Brackley 2nd and Challow 3rd, have also been promoted.

Cherwell League chairman Clive Ricks said: “Banbury Twenty have been struggling to raise sides for a couple of years.

“They felt that having another local Cherwell League club in Horley may not help their player recruitment either.

“Rather than seeing a great club go to the wall, this is a nice solution.

“The door is always open to go back to two clubs in the future as Oxford & Horspath did.”

The first activity of the new club will be the start of men’s winter training this Sunday evening, at Blessed George Napier School (7pm).