BELBROUGHTON Cricket Club have been able to up the ante in training after installng new practice nets.
The club were bowled over by a donation from Cory Environmental Trust in Britain (CETB) which stumped up more than £27,000, so the Worcestershire County League Division One could replace their old nets.
Not only blighted by holes and ripped patches of artificial turf, the nets ran from east to west, leaving bowlers and batsmen with the sun in their eyes at various times of the day.
This led to an appeal for funds by Belbroughton and they reached their £47,868 fundraising target thanks to CETB and an earlier grant provided by the England and Wales Cricket Board.
Tony Boardman, vice vhairman of Belbroughton, who field 16 teams from under nine to senior level, said: “Our former nets were dated and in an extremely poor state of repair. Our new nets provide us with the state-of-the-art facilities needed to attract more local people into cricket.
“We’d like to thank CETB for helping us hit our fundraising target.”
The nets will now be used by Belbroughton CC members, local schools and community groups.
Angela Haymonds, CETB Trust Secretary, added: “The CETB Trustees were pleased to be able to contribute to this project.
“These new nets will encourage a broad section of the community with a focal point to come together and spend leisure time.”
