RECENTLY the last annual dinner/wake of the Durham Senior Cricket League took place.

Along with the Coast League and County League the Durham Senior League is to be disbanded.

A new league will be created in the hope of encouraging more people to play cricket.

I think it could have the reverse effect. The biggest problem in local cricket is shortage of players.

Junior cricket still thrives but the transition to senior cricket at 18 is proving a big turn off.

The weather hasn’t helped this year.

Standing around on a cricket field on a Saturday afternoon waiting for a game to begin is probably top of everyone’s list of “most depressing things to do before I die”.

Similarly, umpires are disappearing.

The problems were highlighted at a Durham Senior League ground on the last day of the season.

Ironically the sun was shining, the ground looked fantastic but half an hour before play about three or four players were milling about in front of the pavilion with two elderly guys wearing ties (the only group wearing ties in Durham on a Saturday afternoon are umpires).

The advertising hoarding on the score board was symbolic: the local funeral director.

The batting side made a rapid 260 helped by a generous amount of no balls, wides and dropped catches. The other side were all out for 120.

Three players went into the club to watch the match. The others went home to watch The X Factor.

No one stayed behind after the game, the season of the demise of the Senior Cricket League.

H McLaren, redundant umpire, Brancepeth.