Cash-strapped Somerset Bridge have been given the green-light to continue playing in Bermuda Cricket Board’s (BCB) First Division this year.Despite the Western Counties club haven fallen in arrears with membership fees, the Board’s executive decided against suspending Bridge from its domestic league, much to the relief of club president and Environment Minister Marc Bean.He said: “I am very grateful for the approach the BCB executive have taken in regards to a very long and outstanding matter of dues that SBRC has owed to the BCB.“Notwithstanding the fact we owed them in their wisdom they have seen the benefit of allowing the club to continue to participate this season. And this is important because we have a lot of young people that have come out and have been training and so we are grateful and intend to do our part in holding our end of the bargain.”After their clubhouse was demolished several years ago, amid promises from then Sports Minister El James of a new facility being erected at White Hill Field, Bridge have struggled to raise revenue to offset their existing debts.“Our only revenue for the last five years or so was gate receipts when we were in the Premier Division in football and that basically covered the running expenses of lights, electricity and everything else,” Bean said. “Outside of the gate receipts most of the funds have come out of my pocket in particular.”Bean said Bridge and the BCB have agreed to a payment plan to help the West End club catch up with owed membership fees required to play in the Board’s domestic leagues.He added: “We owe a couple of thousand dollars and it’s similar to the arrears we had with the BFA (Bermuda Football Association) a few years ago that we were able to take care of. So we are absolutely certain we can take care of this matter as well and we have persons in the community that have expressed interest even in this phase and we are grateful to them as well.”Given the current social climate, Bean admitted to having “major concerns” over what would be become of Bridge’s players had the club been stripped of the privilege of playing in the BCB leagues.“Cricket is an avenue for them to utilise their talents and channel their energy so it was a major concern what would happen to those youths who are participating now and those who are looking to participate plus the senior players that have been dedicated,” he said.BCB president Lloyd Fray could not be reached for comment.