There are many cricket Clubs in Dorset with the same major ambition - they all want to be successful, however that might be measured. But of course, to be successful, a Club must do one thing first and above all others - it must survive.

In the past, survival of cricket Clubs was almost entirely down to a few things. First, players moved into the area, sought out the local Club and began to play for it. Second, one or two of the “Colts” made sufficient an impression on the adults to be invited to fill a spot on a Saturday. Third, a player had a friend who was looking to get back to playing cricket. Fourth, Clubs advertised for players to come and join in the fun. You’ll have heard all of them and very probably a few more besides.

All are good ways of recruiting players - but they all have one thing in common. They are entirely random. There isn’t an element of “planning” to any one of them which means the Club can’t be in control of its playing destiny.

Maybe that was OK in times when there weren’t so many alternatives for filling up what we call “leisure time”. But today, there are dozens if not hundreds of alternatives people find to fill that gap in their diary on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. If cricket Clubs are to survive they must compete with those other attractions.

The way to start to do that is to move the Club into “Development” mode and that means:

• affiliating to Dorset Cricket Board
• applying for and work towards Clubmark status
• writing and submitting a structured development plan
• forge links with local schools
• forge links with other local groups and organisations

and so on. Do those and your Club will survive and then the ambitions you and your colleagues have for it can start to be realised.

There are masses of support in and around the county to help your Club through all of it.  Many Dorset Clubs have already moved into Development mode and are now working with the Dorset Cricket Board on almost a daily basis to deliver enhanced facilities, new ground equipment, new buildings, forging important contacts with schools and groups and so on.

There are also many people at the heart of the grassroots game in the county who are prepared to offer your Club the benefit of their experience of the whole process and of seeing the rewards of their efforts.

Don’t leave the future of your Club to chance or even to its reputation.

The pages in this section contain all the important information and contacts you’ll need to get your Club moving forward and into the 21st century. And of course, if you have any questions at all, you can always email us.