HELSTON Cricket Club have requested that they be allowed to withdraw their Premier League team, with immediate effect, from the Jolly's Drinks ECB Cornwall Premier League.

In a letter to the league the club said: "This decision has not been taken lightly and without every possible effort being made to continue. We cannot attribute the events that have caused this to be related to Premier League Cricket as some will no doubt try to make out.

"When we managed to field a team away to St Just we were very hopeful that if we put up a good performance (which we did) the remaining players would rally around and stick together. The upshot of it is that another four first team players are now leaving.

"We simply do not have the strength in depth to be able to field a Premier League side and will have to try and rebuild the club from Division V West. To lose 155 years of history in this way is galling especially when we have spent in the region of £30,000 on new facilities in the last 12 months."

The league management committee are scheduled to meet this week, on Thursday, and will discuss the matter. Helston have lost 11 first teamers, virtually the entire first team squad.

David Pascoe has retired due to injury. Dominic Bostock moved to Camborne, Damian Ward has returned to St Ives, Matthew Crapp has been registered with Penzance and so far this season a further seven first team regulars have officially completed transfers.