Nobody would deny that Portcullis had a difficult time last year, with the loss of several key players just when things were starting to go well for us. This year was looking to be no less challenging so, after much soul searching, we have decided to embrace the inevitable and accept the kind offer of a merger from newly formed Consolidated CC. We will still be competing in Grade 4, but we will now be known as "Consolidated Portcullis". The Portcullis name will still be heard in grades cricket for many years to come, however. Henceforth, anyone who drops a catch, makes a fielding howler, runs out his partner or bowls a 28 ball over will be said to have had a "Portcullis Moment™". Our distinctive character will live on in our legendary levels of incompetence, and in fitness levels bordering on physical disability. We will maintain these proud traditions by making sure that anyone displaying even the slightest amount of talent is immediately transfered to a higher level team.

This is been an extremely difficult decision to take, and many Old Portcullisians have been deeply saddened by it. But the simple fact is that we can no longer stand in the way of progress by selfishly depriving larger clubs of our best players. We urge all other clubs to consider doing likewise to help make Consolidated CC the most successful club in the history of the grades. Join us now.  We are Consolidated. Lower your bat, and surrender your wicket. We will add your cricketing distinctiveness to our own. Your club will adapt to service ours. Resistance is futile.