▁emb ark ed ▁on ▁its ▁first ▁tour , ▁playing ▁three ▁games ▁in ▁Su ff olk ▁at ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁July . ▁ ▁The ▁early ▁years ▁Through out ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁and ▁early ▁ 1 9 8 0 s , ▁the ▁club ▁stead ily ▁grew ▁in ▁membership ▁and ▁expanded ▁its ▁fi xture ▁list . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁the ▁club ▁entered ▁the ▁B rew ers ▁Company ▁Cup , ▁a ▁limited - o vers ▁cup ▁competition ▁for ▁former ▁pup ils ▁of ▁smaller ▁independent ▁schools , ▁a ▁move ▁that ▁added ▁some ▁more ▁compet itive ▁cr icket ▁to ▁the ▁club ' s ▁calendar . ▁This ▁usually ▁came ▁in ▁the ▁form ▁of ▁just ▁one ▁match ▁each ▁season ▁since ▁the ▁O L CC ▁did ▁not ▁enjoy ▁any ▁great ▁success ▁in ▁the ▁cup , ▁a ▁fact ▁under lined ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁when ▁the ▁club ▁suffered ▁its ▁heav iest ▁ever ▁defeat , ▁losing ▁to ▁Den stone ▁W ander ers ▁by ▁ 2 5 3 ▁runs . ▁Though ▁the ▁annual ▁tour ▁to ▁Su ff olk ▁only ▁last ed ▁until ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁a ▁replacement ▁tour ing ▁ven ue ▁was ▁found ▁in ▁the ▁West ▁Country ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 2 , ▁beginning ▁a ▁run ▁of ▁annual ▁t ours ▁to ▁the ▁area ▁that ▁would ▁not ▁end ▁until ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁ ▁By ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁the ▁club ' s ▁membership ▁had ▁ris en ▁to ▁ 7 5 ▁and ▁to ▁mark ▁the ▁successful ▁completion ▁of