THE local cricket season starts this Saturday with nearly 170 teams playing in the Thames Valley League and a further 48 in the Berkshire League.

But don’t expect all of them to be still around come September.

Even before a ball has been bowled, Yateley have withdrawn their 1st XI from Division 2b of the TVL, though they plan to continue fielding teams in Divisions 7a and 9a. They also pulled their 2nd XI out of Division 3a last summer.

Not surprisingly, the TVL management are not best pleased.

And there is every chance of other teams being forced to withdraw from the league in the months ahead as some clubs will surely struggle to field four or five teams each week.

TVL chairman Raj Patel has expressed his fears, commenting: “I remain concerned that some clubs struggle daily to remain afloat and recent resignations of some teams have led us to believe that we, as a league, must work out a way to help clubs and teams to exist in a rapidly changing environment.”

  • THIS column last week featured players who were joining Reading Cricket Club – including three from Finchampstead – and former members coming back.

My revelations, however, left chairperson Jacqui Salazar “seething” and she removed me from the club’s Facebook page. Her rant also included that well-worn phrase “Fake News”.

Which is surprising, as my piece was based on what I had read on the Reading website, while one of the players involved told me in person he was joining with a Finchampstead source confirming all three had gone to Sonning Lane.

Other names, which I refrained from mentioning, have also been added to the Reading list.

  • IT must be rare for one stadium to see two clubs relegated in the same season. Yet, there is a chance it could happen twice in Reading.

Highmoor Ibis and their Scours Lane tenants Woodley United have finished in the drop zone of the Hellenic League’s Premier Division.

Over at Madejski Stadium, London Irish are going down from the Premiership and Reading FC go into their final game hovering close to the Championship’s exit door, but one they are capable of avoiding.