The Belco Cup has been scrapped for this season on what would have been the 30th anniversary of the tournament.

The Bermuda Cricket Board confirmed yesterday that the failure to secure a sponsor means the competition would not go ahead this season, although it is hoped it could return next year. The competition, which began as the Premier Cup back in 1987, was left off the 2017 schedule recently released by the BCB.

“Unfortunately, it is very unlikely that we will be able to hold this competition this year,” said Neil Speight, the Board’s CEO. “Hopefully we can find a new partner for 2018.”

Belco first began sponsoring the competition, involving the top four teams from the previous season, in 2003 but last year notified the Board that it was ending its sponsorship, citing “ongoing constraints”.

“It’s been an honour to have been a part of such a community-driven sporting event,” Denton Williams, Belco’s chief operating officer, said at last year’s announcement that Belco’s association with the competition was ending. “We have been the proud sponsor of the Belco Cup for the past thirteen years, surpassing our initial agreement of ten years.

“The decision to finish the Belco Cup was a difficult one, but due to ongoing budget constraints we have been faced with having to make difficult financial decisions and as a result we have reduced some of our corporate and community sponsorships.”

Bailey’s Bay, who appeared in the first final in 1987, losing to Devonshire Rec, were last season’s winners after a 31-run victory over St David’s in a low-scoring final. St David’s has been the venue for every Belco Cup final, with Somerset and St David’s hosting the semi-finals the day before.

The competition was traditionally held in May as the season’s first major competition, but it was noticeably absent from the schedule this year. The BCB’s National Youth Academy has been the recipient of funds raised during the tournament from gate receipts.

Rodney Trott, who captained Bailey’s Bay to victory in last year’s final Belco Cup, is disappointed that the competition will be missing this summer.

“Last thing I heard is they didn’t have a sponsor,” Trott said. “I know that the money raised is allocated for the junior programme.

“I always believed it was a good tournament to start the season with, with players looking forward to it. Now it only leaves three competitions and I feel the more competitions you play during the season the better it is for cricket. Some teams only have county and the league to play for now.”

The competition was called the Premier Cup for the first two years before Camel, like Belco, sponsored it for 14 years, from 1989 to 2002. In 30 finals since 1987, Southampton Rangers won the competition a record nine times, St George’s five and Western Stars and Bailey’s Bay four wins each.

“At least during the season if teams know that they can’t win the league that they have something to look forward to by finishing in the top four,” Trott said. “I know how it gets after Cup Match time when teams know they can’t win the league and players stop showing up.”

This weekend’s Central Counties match between Western Stars and Devonshire Rec has again been postponed as St John’s Field continues preparation of their wicket. The first-round match was postponed last weekend because the wicket was not ready.

Stars are aiming to have the wicket ready for their opening league match on Sunday against Somerset. The other two Premier Division matches will see champions St David’s beginning the defence of their title at home to Eastern Counties rivals Cleveland at Lord’s while Bailey’s Bay take on Southampton Rangers at Sea Breeze Oval.

In the First Division, PHC meet Devonshire Rec at PHC Field, St George’s take on Somerset Bridge at Wellington Oval and Willow Cuts play Warwick at Somerset Cricket Club.

The BCB recently confirmed that One Communications will be sponsoring the 2017 and 2018 domestic 50 overs competitions. The relationship follows a partnership the Board had with Logic Communications for the previous five years. The sponsorship will include prizes for the One Premier and One First Division champions, weekly MVP winners from each division and internet support for clubs. One Communications will also be providing prizes for the BCB Annual awards and supporting the BCB youth raffle.

Again there will be an automatic one-up, one-down promotion and relegation with the One Play-off game on September 17 between the team finishing fifth in the One Premier Division and the team finishing second in the One First Division to determine a possible second promotion spot.