Southampton Rangers have been stripped of hosting rights for this year’s Western Counties series amid safety concerns over a recent spate of violence that has taken place at the club.

The Western Counties Cricket Association have relocated the tournament after member clubs unanimously expressed “deep unrest” in the wake of an attack on a Paget Lions player during the past football season and more recently a firearm incident that occurred the same day Rangers were crowned T20 Premier Division champions.

The association has expressed “profound sadness” over the incidents, and said it was left with “no choice” but to relocate this year’s tournament to a yet to be determined alternative venue as a protective and temporary measure driven by its “strict duty” to ensure the safety of spectators, players and officials.

The association announced its decision in a letter of which The Royal Gazette has obtained a copy of.

The letter said: “Dear Executive Committee,

“Following a special meeting of the Western Counties Cricket Association Executive Team, the WCCA Executive Committee, upon consultation with the membership, have come to a decision to relocate the scheduled 2026 matches from the Southampton Rangers grounds to an alternative venue for this upcoming series,” the letter added.

“We are profoundly saddened that these incidents have occurred. This decision is a protective, temporary measure driven by our strict duty of care to the hundreds of spectators, players, and officials who attend our fixtures. The WCCA and its member clubs must strictly adhere to our core policy of Safety First, leaving us no choice but to request this relocation considering recent events.

“The reality of the past few months cannot be ignored. The recent events at Southampton Rangers — both the firearm incident this past Sunday and the multi-person altercation in February — are heavy on all our minds. This is a major community safety challenge that threatens the spaces our families rely on. The Western Counties Cricket Association would like to talk about how we can collectively protect the integrity of our community and the safety of our patrons.

“The gravity of these events has created widespread anxiety across our entire sporting community. Following these incidents, our Club Representative (Dexter Basden) proactively reached out to all member clubs to gauge the collective temperature. The feedback was unanimous: there is deep unrest among the membership.”

The association also cited a threat of losing vital sponsorship to support the tournament behind their decision.

“Additionally, sponsorship is vital to the survival of the Western Counties. We have worked tirelessly to secure vital financial backing, and the association is now facing the very real threat of losing new sponsors who have just come on board if we do not take immediate, visible action to secure our event,” the letter read.

The association said it was keen to meet with Rangers officials to assist them in addressing the challenges they face.

“Please know that the WCCA is not abandoning Southampton Rangers. You are a cornerstone of this association, and we want to actively support you in resolving these challenges,” the letter read.

“We would like to meet this week to discuss how Southampton Rangers can still benefit from participating in this year's series beyond just playing cricket on the pitch, ensuring your club remains integrated in the financial and promotional momentum of the tournament as we work together towards a full recovery.

“Sincerely,

Western Counties Cricket Association Executive Team.”

Two teenagers, one 17 and the other 16, have been arrested in connection with the firearms incident, Bermuda Police Service said.

One man has admitted his role in the Southampton Rangers fight in February.

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