BREAKING NEWS: Nassington pull out of the Cambs League

A Nassington cricket team last year. From the left are, front, Shifran Muthaliph, Dan Bandranaike, Martim Cordeiro, Aves Nawaz, Ohnais Basharet, back, Dan Robinson, , James Pope, Will Dyer, Tom Norman, Ben Potter, Arbas Nawaz.

The villagers have decided that due to the loss of a number of key players they are no longer strong enough to compete at that level.

They will continue to field a side in the Hunts League on Saturdays and two teams in the Rutland League on Sundays.

Club stalwart, groundsman and committee man Bill Taylor said: “The Nassington 1st XI have had a very successful number of years with a young team, most of whom came up through our junior teams.

“Over the years there has been a little natural depletion of numbers as some went off to university and did not return to the area but the nucleus of the team stayed together for over 10 years.

“More recently, however, a number of players have taken jobs away from the area. They still travelled back at weekends but that had to come to an end eventually.

“This winter has seen the heart of the team leaving with Alex Laud in Birmingham, Alex Bandaranaike in Manchester, James Pope in Newmarket and Tom Norman in Nottingham. Plus Conor Craig has joined his brother in trying to get noticed by Northants by playing in the Northants County League for Oundle.

“Despite sterling efforts by the club to recruit new players of quality, we have had to, very reluctantly, accept that we do not currently have the playing strength to compete at the higher level. The modern trend for players to want paying to play has made it very difficult for clubs to recruit good players if they cannot afford to pay them.

“We will continue to put teams into the Hunts League and the Rutland league and attempt to rebuild with a lot of very talented teenagers.”