Milton Abbot has had to withdraw from the League due to a player shortage.

 

Division 4 East will have 11 teams this year and only one automatic relegation.

 

Milton Abbot's players become 'Free Agents'.

 

 

In their letter, the club hopes to continue in 2023 in the League with help from 'Cornwall Cricket' to rebuild.

 

 

To The Cornwall Cricket League 

 

Unfortunately, I write with sad news.

 

Over the offseason and in more recent weeks, we as a club have lost a number of players to a combination of retirement, injury, illness and transfer. This now includes our Team Captain, Club Captain and our groundsman and now leaves us a base of six or seven players who we could count as regulars. 

 

As a small, one team rural Club, this scale of loss is proving impossible to overcome, and although we have tried every avenue we can think of, we have yet been able to recruit replacements.

 

This has left us with the reality that to participate, we would have to field non-cricketers and loan players every week, and probably play short-handed in the majority of our games. This would not allow us to be competitive in the league and, would also not give those on either side playing the levels of enjoyment that the game deserves.

 

After much discussion, we feel the only option is to pull out of the league for the 2022 season.

We can only apologise that so close to the start of the season and understand the extra administration and frustration this will cause both you as the league, and the other teams we were due to play.

 

Moving forward we do not wish to fold and are determined that we will not be another small village club that disappears. Those of us left would like to use the season to re-assess, find a way to stabilise and grow a membership base.

 

To that end, we would like to actively seek support and guidance from Cornwall Cricket and other cricketing parties who could help us rebuild and drive the direction of our club: to market it, recruit players, make it an appealing place to play, attract or fund the training of a coach to work with the club and community and show that Cricket is not just for big towns with lots clubs with multiple teams.

 

We would like to return in 2023 and, understand that this decision would mean we would start back in Div 6. Therefore, we will be keeping our square in good order, building on the work put in over the last few seasons and ensuring we have a surface to play on in 2023.

 

Yours sincerely

  

Charlie Helyer

Secretary 

Milton Abbot Cricket Club