The English Leagues Cup Competitions (ELCC) have been cancelled this season because of the ongoing pandemic restrictions.

The competition is the oldest domestic competition run by Table Tennis England and is an event for affiliated leagues. It comprises both Junior competitions (Carter Cup for boys and Bromfield Trophy for girls) and Senior competitions (Wilmott Cup for men and JM Rose Bowl for women).

The ELCC committee has elected to cancel the tournaments for 2021. The regional qualification events were due to take place on April 17 (Senior) and April 25 (Junior), with the finals over the weekend of June 5-6.

ELCC Committee chairman Mike SMith said: “ELCC Committee and Table Tennis England Competitions have concluded with considerable regret that the 2020/21 ELCC needs to be cancelled.

“Initially in December, the date for entry forms being sent out was delayed and the original calendar dates postponed. Sadly the overall situation about play and venues has not changed by the start of February and does not seem likely to change sufficiently in the next few months.”

It is the second season in succession the competition has been cancelled because of the pandemic. The ELCC started in 1935 with the Wilmott Cup and has only previously been cancelled because of the Second World War.

Mike Smith added: “It is particularly regrettable in that ELCC 2019/20 was cancelled after all the preparation work had been completed for the highest entry in recent years. We look forward to running these competitions in 2021/22.”