Table of Contents
Scarborough Cricket Club have withdrawn their 1st XI from the Attis ECB Yorkshire Premier League North Cricket League with immediate effect.
It’s an extraordinary development given the history and resources of the club, not to mention Scarborough’s position as a Yorkshire County Cricket Club outground.
Scarborough’s 2nd and 3rd XI’s are unchanged in the Championship East and Beckett Division Four.
Scarborough Cricket Club CEO Laura Edmunds shared a statement with the League in which she said:
“As a club, we have embarked upon a new commitment and vision to strengthen our role within the local community, both in cricket and beyond, to create a sustainable organisation for the long-term benefit of the town.”
“Our unique location, history and exceptional grounds provide us with the opportunity to support and inspire more young people and future cricketers. We are committed to developing pathways for local young people into senior cricket and building a club that is sustainable both on and off the pitch.”
She concluded: “Over time, I hope to see us rebuild a sustainable base of local players that is competing at the highest possible level. However, in the meantime, I wish all those in the league every success for the upcoming season’’.
Now, here’s the thing.
Behind every statement, however buoyant, usually lies a subtext. If I were to read into things, it suggests that a) things weren’t sustainable and b) there’s been something of an internal reset.
Further clues lie in the Scarborough CC website where there is a page outlining expectations of new players. I nearly fell off my chair at this paragraph:
“Players who expect to be paid for matches, are unwilling to accept decisions from the selection panel, or are not engaged with the wider club community need to be aware that this does not align with SCC’s culture.”
It’s not a particularly welcoming tone to take but presumably one they felt was necessary if paid players previously have not accepted selection decisions or engaged with the wider community.
So, Scarborough will not pay any players and have no first team playing Premier League cricket for 2025.
It’s a shock for a club of their stature to have no first team involved at the top level of club cricket in Yorkshire.
The move leaves the top tier of the Attis ECB Yorkshire Premier League North Cricket League lopsided with 11 teams and will have ramifications for fixtures but also the transfer market.
It seems likely the ECB Premier Division teams will have two free weeks, as was the case when Yorkshire Academy dropped out a few years back.
Thanks to those giving me background and their views on this story. You're welcome to leave a comment below - I read them all.
It would be fair to say that some observers have known about rumblings at North Marine Road for some time and yet there is still surprise that it has come to this.
The news raises a few questions around clubs paying players, as well as the relative strength of Scarborough's second team for 2025 now that suddenly there are no firsts.
The focus at Scarborough is now even more on junior development and the intray of the new Head of Cricket, currently being advertised, will be packed.
***
Scarborough Cricket Club were approached for comment and if there is a response, beyond the statement supplied to the league, then we'll be happy to update this article here.
📸 Photos are by kind permission of Simon Dobson and you can view his images here on Flickr.
