No way up for Bournemouth (From Bournemouth Echo)

No way up for Bournemouth

7:00am Saturday 5th September 2009 in

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BOURNEMOUTH Cricket Club’s third team players are preparing for a potentially pointless play-off clash today – with Dorset League rules set to dash their hopes of promotion.

As they finished second in the league’s Division One, Bourne-mouth go into what was supposed to be a straight shoot out with Stalbridge, who ended the season second bottom of the Saturday Premier Division, for the final spot in next year’s top flight.

But Bournemouth’s promotion pursuit looks likely to end in disappointment, regardless of the result of today’s clash at Dean Park, after a league management committee meeting on Thursday confirmed that non-first XI teams are not permitted to play in the Premier Division.

Bournemouth’s third team captain Jonny Symons, 23, believes the ruling could cause some of his young players to quit the game.

“About seven players in my team are under 18 and that’s the age where people walk away from cricket, after colts cricket,” said Symons. “Something like this will only add to good cricketers leaving the game.”

League chairman Rod Hansford said: “Our rule clearly states that for a club to be promoted to the Premier, they have to be the first team of that particular club.”

Hansford added that the rule could be changed at the league’s AGM later this year, but that any alteration would not apply until next season. Bournemouth’s first and second teams play in the Southern League.