Update: Following Nomads' demise, it was confirmed that the Maccabi Sunday League will disband for season 2010.

Casual Nomads, the former Stuart Neils Cup winners, have pulled out of the Maccabi Sunday Cricket League.

The Nomads were expecting to be part of a four-team Maccabi League but their decision to pull out on the eve of the campaign has left the Jewish cricket season in crisis.

Outgoing captain Richard Ferrer said: “The writing has been on the wall for some time now. The final straw came when we realised that only three players were available for the first match.

“I believe that the appetite for playing cricket among the Jewish community is falling off. I feel very sad and frustrated as the club has been running for more than 40 years.”

The Nomads remain hopeful of entering a team in the Maccabi T20.

Chairman David Finlay said: “There are significant challenges within the Jewish cricket world. These include a decline in numbers and there is a quality of cricket issue as the numbers have clearly declined over the past few years

“It has come to the stage where perhaps, Jewish cricket is not as interesting as it previously was for some.

“Now we’re facing a challenge to build a strategy to come back in 2011.”