An ex-county player said he was "very sad" after deciding to end his long-running junior cricket festival that had provided a launchpad for professionals.

The Minor Counties Cricket Festival (MCCF), started by former Essex cricketer and Zimbabwe coach Don Topley, is to end after 25 years. It had taken place at the Royal Hospital School (RHS) in Suffolk since 1999, but Topley said it was no longer a viable venue as its requirements had become "increasingly restrictive" and he could no longer afford to hire the site.

The private school, in Holbrook, said it "must ensure all events operate within clear regulatory, safeguarding, and operational frameworks".

Topley, 61, who was a pupil at the school and then taught there for more than 20 years until 2015, said: "The decision to curtail the festival is unavoidable and sadly it's not going to happen again, and I feel this is a reality of where the game of cricket is at. "It was a fantastic, fantastic festival at the RHS and it was unique, so I am very proud of it, but I am very sad, too."

The MCCF was launched as a way to get more under-12s into the sport and saw hundreds of prospective cricketers across as many as 22 teams take part every year. Previous participants included Liam Livingstone, Don's son Reece Topley, and Oliver Stone, all of whom have gone on to represent their country at international level.

Don Topley, who now commentates on cricket, said he feared the cancellation would have a negative effect on the prospects of budding cricketers. "Cricket is struggling with engaging the youth, because you try to inspire, encourage and enthuse the children, but we are seeing a dramatic fall-off," he said. "There are less and less people playing cricket and the game on a Sunday afternoon is really dwindling, I'm very, very sad to confirm."

Topley suggested the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) — the governing body for cricket across the two nations — was hampering grassroots cricket. "It's not a reflection of demand, value, or impact; it is the result of external constraints," he added. "There is a shortage of facilities and a shortage of quality coaches for this age group, and the ECB has changed its attitude towards pathway county cricket. "That is a great shame and the many people I come into contact with at the coalface agree."

He also said he believed the fallout from England's recent Ashes loss could have "prolonged consequences" for the sport and amateur clubs. "The fact we were brutally beaten up was a disaster," he said. "County cricket clubs will feel the disaster of The Ashes and it will hit them in their pockets. "If they had come home as winners, the game of cricket would have been in a buoyant mood and we would have seen the benefits, but now we will see the negatives."

The RHS, which was sold to the Inspired Learning Group last year, said it had been "proud" to host the festival and remained "deeply committed" to championing sport. "During the current academic year, the school has been delighted to welcome a range of sporting festivals," a spokesperson said. "RHS must ensure that all events operate within clear regulatory, safeguarding, and operational frameworks."

The England and Wales Cricket Board has been contacted for comment.

According to data from Sport England, the number of people who participated in cricket in the last year was the highest since 2015-2016. The ECB said the number of teams and fixtures being played had "increased across senior and junior cricket" since the pandemic lockdown of 2020-21, and it had also seen a "big growth" in women's and girls' cricket.

It said it had also played a part in helping construct over 300 non-turf pitches and eight practice facilities in urban parks since 2018, including 50 non-turf pitches and six practice facilities built in 2025.

"Since 2016, our strategy has focused on growing the game, including increasing the number of young people who play and giving clubs a sustainable future," a spokesperson said. "In relation to talent pathways, the ECB is seeking to create fairer access for more children so that everyone can fulfil their potential, irrespective of their background."

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