Gorran withdraw from the Cornwall Cricket League

The Cricketfield, Gorran Churchtown

Update: Gorran continued to play non-CCL cricket in 2022 and successfully rejoined the Cornwall League in 2023 in which they finished second in Division 6 Central and won promotion to Division 5 East for 2024.

 

They had a difficult season in 2021 finishing bottom of County Division One.

They won three games but also conceded three, being unable to raise a team.

In a statement to the League, Hon Secretary Fred Semple said :

“ After much debate, attempted recruitment and heartache, I’m afraid we will have to withdraw from league cricket for the foreseeable future. Sorry to leave it until the last minute, the hope of a last-minute miracle hasn’t happened.

 We have a playing squad of 15 players but only 4 of whom are committing to over 80% of games for the season. There is no way we will fulfil a full season’s fixtures. We conceded games last season with more players.

 The club intends to enter the St Newlyn East Midweek league again and keep the juniors cricket going on Thursday nights, in the hope that sometime in the future we will re-enter the league with a mixture of juniors and parents playing.”

 

Having been formed at the end of the 19th century Gorran joined the Cornwall Cricket League in 1932.

They have been  County Champions on three occasions in 1937, 1948 and 1953.

They were runners-up on nine occasions in 1932, 1947, 1949, 1950, 1954, 1958, 1963, 1967 and  1972.

In all, 12 Eastern titles - a measure of the loss to Cornish cricket of this once great club.

They also won the Hawkey Cup on ten occasions: in 1961, 62 (B), 66, 68, 70, 71, 72, 98, 2002, 2012, and were runner-up just once - in 1959.

Callington has won 13 Hawkey Cup Finals and St Austell also ten.

 

Of their eight  Edwards Cup Final appearances (since the inaugural in 1966) they won once  (beating Penzance in 1972) but lost the other seven.

Gorran’s decision was received just hours before the January 1st deadline for the confirmation of the 2022 Cornwall Cricket League divisions.

As a result the confirmation is delayed as the League  is now working with a number of clubs to fill the vacancies in Divisions 2, 3, 4 and 5 East.

Division 6 will also need to be reconfigured with 26 teams now remaining.  A nine-team division would only have 16 match days.

 

Anyone for Cricket Facebook reaction

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    Gareth Mitchell

    Sad to hear this

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  • Mark Ackers Atkins

    Very sad as this was my first club when I lived in the village. Sadly think it’s a sign of the times and clear that all clubs are struggling for players.

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    Paul Berryman

    Very sad. Lovely little ground, a proud club and some fierce competitors over the years. Hard to beat on their own patch. Best wishes for the future. Burz

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  • Diane Pearce
  • Very sad to hear this news. I know they will come back stronger. Look forward to playing you in the evening league 🏏🏏🏏

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    Charlie Ellis

    😢 Just awful news. Some of my fondest cricketing memories are of playing against Gorran CC, which is saying something for what a great bunch they are and how picturesque their ground was, because Kendall and Co usually gave us an absolute hammering!! Really hope the club can continue to exist out of the league, so that they may soon have generated the playing base to rejoin🤞. Thoughts with everyone who has put so much hard work into that fantastic club over the years. 😔

     

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  • Mark Trudgeon
  • Sad news another great club to disappear from league cricket

Nick Matthews

Hope you will come again with your youth systems and evening league.. as youth co-ordinator at St Austell we would be always willing to loan you under 15s/13s if you need them to for fill sides for evening league.. we would be keen to play youth fixtures against you, even if it was under 7s/9s/11s or what ever suits you..

If you keep working hard to make it happen you will succeed, best of luck guys

  • Stephen Bone
  • Good luck for the future , sad day for Cornish crickt

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    John Kelly

    Sad news, lovely ground and club!!

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    Trevor Dungate

    A sad loss, always enjoyed umpiring at their ground even though it could be unforgiving in certain weather conditions!!

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    Chris Crabb

    Sad news and hopefully you'll pull it around and be back in no time, fond memories from playing them over 40 plus years

  • Saf Wallace

    Thats a shame I was looking forward to taking pictures Please keep the juniors and rise again.Guys and ladies get behind your local team

  • Nigel Sanders

    A very sad day for A very proud and lovely Club. I will always remember playing there against some very good sides in the 1970’s, I even scored my very first Senior ton there, very fond memories of some great players. I really hope you come back stronger, best of luck for the future

     

  • Rob Foot

    Sorry to hear how’s it’s gone there. If there’s anything us at Boconnoc can do on their path to rebuilding, then they only have to get in touch for friendlies etc

  • Nigel Dennis

    What a sad day, enjoyed many Saturday afternoons at this lovely place. With good friends

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    Kevin Horrell

    Such lovely memories playing there my favourite ground to play at in Cornwall sad sad times let’s hope you will rise again

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    • Graham Griffiths

      Always a sad day for village cricket when a big village club goes. Hopefully they keep the youth together and enter again one day, enjoyed playing at Gorran a few times.

       

    • Edward Leverton

      What really sad news to start the New Year with. Gorran have had some excellent county cricketers in the past and were always a major force in cricket in the east of the county. Roy Hawkins was an excellent League Secretary and stories of his rising at dawn to roll the pitches at Gorran were legendary. Keeping a club going is critical and something we sadly failed to do at Fowey. Once a club is lost completely the task to re-establish it becomes 10 times more difficult. I wish the club well for its future.

    • David Hooper

      That is the saddest sporting news I have seen this year.

      Playing for St.Austell in the 1970s we always regarded Gorran as one of our strongest opponents as well as a great ground on which to play. Unless me memory is playing tricks I am sure that Dave Halfyard bowled me third ball after sending down 2 innocuous deliveries followed by a fast yorker. Happy Days!

       

    • Clive Libby

    • Such sad news, loved playing there through the 70's, 80's, 90's and 2000"s always a decent wicket to bat on! Gorran were always good opponents!

       

    • Richard Seeley

      Great club great memories

       

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    • Jayne Crouch

      That is sad news but a reflection of the times and changes within the community.

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      Iain Paul Barlow

      Sorry to hear this sad news,hope some solution is found,it's local history,and such a picturesque ground,good luck to all involved

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      Steve Bodfish

      All clubs have to sometimes go backwards to go forwards again.

      With the enthusiasm of the current youngsters and their parents,the club has a brillaint base to build from.

      The best Egg ham and chips in Cornwall will be back.

      We look forward to the new season with a positive mindset🏏🏏🏏🏏

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    • Barry Allen

      Such a shame had many a good game and lovely teas at Gorran