THREE CLUB CRICKETERS SET WORLD RECORD WITH 72-HOUR NET

The trio, from Lincolnshire, took on the challenge for charity

Every cricketer enjoys a long net during the off-season but this is taking it to extremes.

Three members of Billingborough Cricket Club in Lincolnshire set a new world record over the weekend after batting continuously for 72 hours, all the while raising money for the local air ambulance.

Taking to the indoor nets at the Northgate Sports Hall in Sleaford, they faced thousands of deliveries during their marathon stint at the wicket in a fundraising effort for Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance.

Dave Newman, Richard Wells and Shaun Brown batted in three nets alongside each other, having to work together to accumulate break time during their extraordinary challenge.

And they did so to tremendous effect, smashing the previous Guinness World Record of 52 hours.

^{Dave Newman, Richard Wells and Shaun Brown share a beer after their incredible batting effort}

"I feel successful. It hasn’t yet sunk in that we’ve achieved a world record. It was a real challenge," Newman told Lincolnshire Live.

"In the whole 72 hours that we were playing, we slept for only one and a half hours altogether."

It has only been three years since Newman and Well took part in a similar initiative, raising £16,000 for brain tumour research by playing cricket for 48 hours.

"Me and Rich had done this for 48 hours before, so we felt already prepared. But this was unknown to Shaun but he still completed it," said Newman.

"We wanted to support the air ambulance because they are a local charity.

^{The trio batted for three days in the nets to raise money for charity}

"We wanted to help them out because they have a new helicopter which costs £2.9million to run.

"I follow the charity on social media and I see the work they have to do each day, and we just wanted to help them out."

This time around, the cricketing cause has raised almost £4,000 to date, though donations are still being taken and anyone interested in giving should click here.

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