Lack of players could bowl out Shropshire border cricket club
A Shropshire border village cricket club formed more than 30 years ago may have to fold due to a lack of members.
Hales Cricket Club, based at Valley View Ground, situated between Loggerheads and Market Drayton, has decided to withdraw from playing league cricket.
Jim Ward, from the club, said the decision was made at a recent meeting due to a lack of players.
He said unless new members join the club in the next few months it will have to close.
"The club, which has played at picturesque Valley View ground since it was formed in 1981, made the decision at a recent AGM, said Mr Ward.
"It became obvious that the club lacked sufficient numbers to carry on following a number of departures.
"The club realised that it would be unable to honour fixtures in the North Staffordshire & South Cheshire league and made the decision to withdraw from the league.
"The club, which has also spent some of its history playing in the Shropshire Cricket League, is now trying to contemplate how to keep some form of cricket being played in the village.
"Some ideas include occasional Sunday friendlies or a number of 20 overs a side fixtures in midweek are currently being considered.
"Meanwhile, the club is willing to consider other cricket clubs who require a ground to play on in the summer months being able to do so."
Mr Ward said the club currently has nine members left.
He said he was concerned about the future of the ground.
He added: "Ideally we need about 12 regular players and another six to eight who can play occasionally.
"As it stands there is no chance of us fulfilling our commitment to play 26 matches in a season with the limited numbers we have.
"For this reason we have resigned from the league and unless some new members are forthcoming the club will cease to exist in the coming months.
"If we can't arrange some friendlies or social games then I'm afraid that one of the most picturesque cricket grounds in the whole country will no longer host cricket. That is very sad news.
"We just need a small number of additional committed cricketers to get a few games of cricket played."
Anyone who would like to consider playing friendly cricket either on a Sunday or in midweek during the forthcoming season should get tin touch.
Call Jason Lowe on 07447090927 or go to halescc.play-cricket.com
Contact can also be made via the Hales CC Facebook page.
