Time has caught up with South Newton, who have been forced to pull out of the Hampshire Cricket League one month from the start of the new season.
The 100 or more year old club, whose ground is nestled alongside the River Wylye five miles outside of Salisbury on the A36, have struggled to field sides for the past three or four seasons.
Age has now caught up on many of their players, so much so they no longer have sufficient manpower to continue, writes Mike Vimpany.
The demise of South Newton, who had been due to play in County Division 3 North alongside Dinton and South Wilts III this summer, has been particularly poignant on secretary Tim Moulding, whose family has been involved with the club for four generations.
He explained: “The core of the club, including myself, are approaching 50 years of age or over.
“There are very few keen and committed youngsters to ease the transition to the next generation, as it did between my father’s generation and myself 30 years ago or so.
“Sadly, none of this core have had the time to devote to developing a youth section and barely enough time to keep the club running.
“Whilst a few of us have sons eligible to play, boarding school term commitments and the lure of better opportunities at South Wilts have denied us this succession.
“We have struggled on for the past 3 or 4 years in the hope that a new charge of young players will arrive with the enthusiasm (and time) to put the necessary effort in to boost the club. Sadly, this has not happened.”
Hampshire League chairman Denis Emery confirmed that South Newton would not be replaced in CD3 North, which will now operate with 17 clubs.
“Teams will simply have a blank Saturday when it is (or was) their turn to play South Newton,” he explained.
“It’s terribly sad to see a long standing club like South Newton withdraw, but it’s the sign of the times, with less people playing cricket.”
South Newton are still hoping to continue a T20 team in the Salisbury & District Midweek League on Tuesday evenings, so cricket may still be played at the ground.
Ironically, South Newton’s withdrawal from the Hampshire League coincides with the demise this season of the remaining men's football team.
“These are sad times indeed for village sport,” Moulding reflected.  “I just don’t know where grass-root local sport will be in ten years’ time ?”

 

Having achieved six promotions in the past 12 seasons, it’s no wonder go-ahead Sway are looking ahead to the start of the new cricket season and the fresh challenges of Hampshire League, County Division 2, the highest playing level the New Forest village club has so far achieved.
When they take the field at Bramshaw on May 6, it will be a far cry from the wilderness years of 2001 when they were languishing fourth from bottom of New Forest League Division 4 and four seasons later playing in HL Regional 3 South West.
Moving to the purpose-built Jubilee Field in 2002 gave Sway the opportunity establish themselves – and become the envy of New Forest cricket. 
Sandwiched slap bang in the middle of a “golden triangle” of Southern Premier League clubs, Lymington, Bashley (Rydal) and New Milton, Sway plan to continue to buck the country-wide cricket apathy trend by fielding a host of senior and junior teams each week.
Sway’s population is little more than 3,500 – but that doesn’t them from fielding four Hampshire League teams, a regular Sunday XI, four junior sides (from age 9 year upwards) and two ladies sides, the Sway BlueBelles.
No surprise either, Sway have registered for the ECB’s grassroots All Stars Cricket scheme, which aims to introduce the game to thousands of five to eight year olds across the country.
Sway’s existing colts system has been a “sausage machine” of youngsters who have progressed into senior cricket
“Over half the first team who won promotion last season progressed through the colts – something the club is justifiably proud of,” enthused Alex Hall, whose 557 runs last season won Sway’s skipper the County 3 South batting prize.
Off field progress has matched that on it, with Sway investing £40,000 in recent years on sight-screens, covers, modern nets and laser levelling of the outfield.
They are also on the verge of completing a £9,000 dressing room and tea facility upgrade of their pavilion to bring it up to modern standards.
The Jubilee Ground was rated the top playing area in County 3 South in 2016.
The work will be completed well ahead of the opening home match of the season, a National Village Championship first round tie against Bramshaw at the Jubilee Field on Sunday April 30.
Prior to that Sway have away-day friendly matches at Lyndhurst & Ashurst, Hythe & Dibden and Burley.