cricket

Winchester KS - the club that produced Hampshire seamer Billy Taylor - have resigned from the Southern Electric Premier League with immediate effect.

The club remains a member of the Hampshire Cricket Board and intend to continue to play in the Indoor and Evening Leagues and run their Colts side. Ironically enough, it was the lack of Colts sides that caused the club to be relegated on two occasions!

Winchester, formerly Hyde Ramblers, applied to join the Southern League in 1971 and in their first season finished a creditable third.

In 1973 Hyde Ramblers and Winchester City merged to form Hyde Ramblers (Winchester). 1979 saw Hyde Ramblers celebrating their Golden Jubilee with a cricket week and a celebration dinner.

In 1980 Hyde Ramblers changed its name to Winchester (formerly Hyde Ramblers) CC to reflect the club's standing as the premier cricket club in the city at that time.

In 1983 Winchester and Southampton Cavaliers merged and after an exodus of key players in 1991, the club was forced to blood several young players - who formed the basis for future prosperity.

In 1994 a merger with Botley-Simmarians led to the formation of Winchester Cricket Club KS (formerly Hyde Ramblers).

On the playing front, Winchester has always been respected as one of the stronger sides in the Southern League, culminating with championships in 1988 and spectacularly in 1995, when they were undefeated all season.

Well known for their limited-overs exploits, they won the Echo Trophy in 1987 and have appeared in the final on five occasions.

It is of course in Indoor Cricket that Winchester KS excels. All those who were there at Lord's in 1996 when they became National Indoor Champions will never forget it, and they so nearly repeated the dose in 1997 - losing narrowly to Pudsey in another exciting final. After their win at Lords, they were invited to represent England in the European Winter Cup, which they won with a record score in the final.

Winchester have been perennial Hampshire and Fleming Park champions.

The SPL Division 3 will operate with 17 clubs this summer, with scheduled opponents getting a 'free day' when scheduled to play Winchester KS.

Around half a dozen of the club's players are expected to continue playing in the SPL for various clubs this summer while Billy Taylor, who made his first team debut for Winchester KS at the age of 16, hopes to be a regular for Hampshire in his first season with his home county.