Hereford City Cricket Club look like being the surprise beneficiaries of the Flint & Cook Marches League committee's decision to impose sanctions on Wellington CC.
Due to a series of complaints about their pitch, the villagers were barred from staging further Division 1 matches at their own headquarters.
Now, with the future of league cricket at Wellington in doubt, a considerable number of the villagers' players have decided to leave the club prior to the league's transfer deadline today (Thursday) and throw in their lot with Hereford.
Many of those transferring first joined Wellington as a result of the club's amalgamation with Hereford Nomads some years ago.
The transferring players, who include Wellington's captain Jamie Williams, vice-chairman Chris Fry and former captain Phil Chalkley as well as around 10 others, will be eligible to turn out for Hereford from July 9.
As the Hereford Times went to press it was still unclear whether Wellington intend to attempt to fulfil their remaining away fixtures or withdraw from the league.
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