The statement can either be downloaded here or viewed below. 

Statement from Paul Cricket Club on their withdrawal from the ECB Cornwall Premier League.

Following the loss of a number of senior players, to a combination of factors including transfers, retirements, career-threatening injuries and university commitments, Paul Cricket Club has worked hard, but ultimately without success, to recruit a number of new players through the winter.  We thought long and hard about what to do, and the consequences of not being able to fulfil fixtures, and ultimately took the view that that would not be either fair on other teams nor in the long-term interests of our club not to take this course of action.  Nor did we think that it was tenable to participate in the Cornwall Premier League when we had become aware of significant availability issues for a number of those we would have wanted to be able to select to play in that competition.  

At an emergency meeting of the Club Committee on Monday 24 March, it was resolved to ask the Cornwall Cricket League's League Management Committee for permission to withdraw from the Premier League, but to continue playing in Division Two West and Division Seven West.    

Club Chairman Colin Lawry said "We are grateful to the LMC for the swift and sympathetic consideration that they have given to our request, and deeply regret the inconvenience caused to other clubs. It is not without a considerable degree of soul-searching that we have taken this step.  However, given player numbers and the loss of so many 1st team squad players from last season, we really felt that there was no viable alternative.  We will continue to field teams in Divisions Two West and Seven West, the West Penwith League and at u11, u13 and u15 age groups."

Neil Pengelly, who had been appointed to captain the club in the Premier League, added "We have a number of talented young cricketers coming up through the club, but it really is too early in their careers to expose so many of them to regular Premier League cricket.  We must take this as an opportunity to build the club for the future.  I believe that there is a strong future for this club as we regroup with the commitment of those who really want to play cricket here, and those behind the scenes who want to make that happen."

Media Officer Tom Ruhrmund has also been pleased with the support from others in the Cornish cricket community.  "We've had supportive messages from many clubs and individuals, which indicates that there is a degree of understanding of how difficult this decision has been for us and how much support there is for us to regroup and rebuild for the future."

Colin Lawry

Chairman

Paul Cricket Club