Troon Cricket Club, one of the longest-serving members, has withdrawn from the Cornwall Cricket League with immediate effect.

Founded it is believed in 1875 they joined the Cornwall Cricket League three years after its formation in 1908.

Taking into account war years, they completed 100 League seasons in 2018 along with Helston.

Only founder members Camborne and Penzance have played more.

In a media statement Club Chairman Alan Thomas said:

“It is with regret that we announce our withdrawal from  The Bond Timber Cornwall Cricket League Division 2 West.” 

“The Club has lost a number of Players through the closed season who have moved to play at a higher standard. Despite signing several Players in recent months it has become apparent that we have neither the strength or depth to compete at this level. After consultation with Players and Officers, it was agreed to withdraw at an early stage in order to allow the few remaining players to join new Clubs and enjoy a successful season.”

 “We wish to stress that this is not the end of Troon CC. The Club is financially sound, owns its own ground and has a strong Committee.”

 “It is our intention to regroup through this Season and rejoin the League in 2022. We will continue with our planned youth training throughout the Summer and we are in the process of setting up a Learning Disability Cricket Hub. We hope to announce details in the coming  weeks.”

Famously Troon were the first winners of the National Village Championship in 1972. They won the John Haig Cup at Lord’s defeating Astwood Bank (Warwickshire) by seven wickets. 795 teams entered in the first year. They repeated the feat a year later beating the South Wales side Gowerton by 12 runs and made it a hat-trick in 1976 with victory over Sessay (North Yorkshire) by 18 runs. They lost the 1983 Whitbread Village Final to Quarndon (Derbyshire) by eight wickets.  Scorecards

Troon were Cornwall Senior League County Champions in 1947, 1979, 1981 and won the ECB Cornwall Premier League in 1995. They have appeared in 15 Vinter Cup Finals winning the title on seven occasions in 1967, 1970, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1996 & 2000. They had a run of four successive finals between 1979 & 82. They were last runners up in 2007. They went on to win the WT Edwards Cup on five occasions between 1967 & 1982.

They were ever-presents in the top flight for almost a century until relegation in 2004 saw six years in County Division 1. They returned for two years but were relegated again in 2012. They opted to withdraw to Division 2 for the 2015 season. They won promotion back to County Division 1, at the second attempt, but were relegated in 2019 for failing to meet criteria. Their second eleven withdrew from the League after the 2014 season, following the third eleven in 2012.

Troon has provided 36 Cornwall Players over the years and another 20 or so did so playing for other clubs. The club has produced three County Captains in Jack Angove, Malcolm Dunstan and Matthew Rowe. Anthony Penberthy went on to enjoy an illustrious career with Northamptonshire and Lewis Goldsworthy is commencing a promising career at Somerset. Brian & Terry Carter, Gerald Dunstan, Jimmy Vincent, David Rashleigh, John Spry, Peter Johns, Michael Sweeney, Brian Moyle, Tommy Edwards, Donald Thomas, Gerald Penberthy, Peter Thomas, Keith Williams, Philip Moyle,  Trevor Angove and Rex Symons were others who played at Lord’s and featured in the glory years of the 70’s.

Gerald Penberthy achieved the feat of both playing and umpiring a Village Final at Lord’s.

Maurice Bolitho was Chairman of the Cornwall Cricket League (1966-68) and President (1971-75).