The Voneus National Village Cup last 16 game which would have seen Calmore Sports travelling to Cornwall’s Grampound Road has been switched and will now be played at Loperwood Park on Sunday 3 July.

The decision was made by the competition organisers after Grampound Road had contacted Calmore Sports to request a week-long postponement to Sunday 10 July, due to them hosting the Cornwall Premier League T20 Finals Day on their ground on the day of the scheduled game.

A postponement would have caused an issue if the game was washed out on 10 July, given the quarter-finals are set in stone to be played on 17 July – when the winners will host either Welsh side Pentyrch or Goatacre from Wiltshire in the last eight – and that there wouldn’t have been an opportunity to have the match replayed back in Hampshire.

And despite some terrific efforts from the Cornishmen to find an alternative venue nearby, the match will now be played at Loperwood Park on 3 July and, should the weather intervene, Grampound Road will host the replay on 10 July.

Club captain Mark Lavelle said “We are gutted not to be travelling to Grampound.  An away day in this competition is always a great day and we had heard tremendous reviews about their teas!

“But we thank the Grampound Road Chairman Lewis on his hard work in trying to find an alternative venue for the 3rd and agreeing to switch the match.  It just allows both teams the buffer of a reserve date should we get rain on the 3rd as at this stage, nobody wants to see a game go to a bowl off if it can be avoided.

“We look forward to making new friends from a different corner of the country and welcoming them to Loperwood Park.”