CHESELBOURNE Cricket Club has sent out an SOS to players who may be interested in pulling on their spikes once more.

Having already scratched one game, and turned out with 10 players in another, Cheselbourne this season are struggling at the bottom of the Dorset League's County Division Four.

It comes after the retirement of a handful of players, along with availability problems and a lack of resources to sustain a junior section.

The club does run All Stars sessions but without a junior setup finds itself losing children to other teams in the area.

Chairman and deputy captain Colin Searle is determined not to see the close of 40 years of play at Cheselbourne.

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He told Echosport: “It’s a situation that probably faces quite a few small village teams. We’re aware of a few that’ve gone under in the last few years.

“As our players at Cheselbourne get older it’s increasingly difficult to replace them with youngsters who tend to get involved with cricket at school and go to the bigger clubs like Weymouth, Dorchester and Blandford.

“Although they may have started their journey with us, we run All Stars with the local middle school, they then quickly migrate to the bigger and better clubs.

“For us, as a one-team club to survive and thrive, we need to attract players back.”

Cheselbourne’s ground is renowned as one of the most beautiful venues in the county.

Serenely pitched in the middle of a valley between Cheselbourne and Melcombe Bingham, the views are spectacular.

And Searle believes this is a key selling point to players who may be looking to return to the game.

“It’s absolutely stunning, in the heart of the Blackmore Vale, nestled in a valley between rolling hills in the Dorset countryside," he said.

“It’s a real privilege to play there and we do a great tea!

“The appeal is for absolutely anybody, particularly to those who decided they needed a break from the game but want to come back.

“Anybody who has never played before but with an interest in getting involved, we’ll happily incorporate them into our setup.”

Cheselbourne also plays host to Dewlish in the Dorchester & District Evening League, fielding an established and respected side in Division Two.

However, while some of Dewlish’s players turn out for Cheselbourne on a Saturday, not all can make it.

“The attraction of the midweek league is it’s a truncated form of the game and is over quickly. They have bigger fish to fry at the weekend,” Searle said.

“Quite a few are involved in the farming industry, so it’s a time issue for them.”

Reassuringly for Cheselbourne, they had a full team for yesterday's trip to Martinstown Seconds - a rare luxury this season.

Any interested players are invited to contact Colin Searle on: 07584990914 or e-mail: cheselbournecc@gmail.com