Club Week: Lawnmower trouble, a blossoming partnership and respects paid in Herefordshire

The Cricketer rounds up some of the more unusual stories of the past seven days from across the local cricket scene...

Herefordshire pays tribute as stalwart dies

Cricket clubs around Herefordshire paid their respects to a stalwart of the game in the county this week.

Brockhampton Cricket Club said that the club were "devastated" to announce the death of former first-team captain Andrew Watkins yesterday, who was known as 'Woko' around the club.

A post on the club’s Twitter page said: "He played a huge part in getting the club to where it is today.

"He will be hugely missed by everyone and our thoughts are firmly with his family at this sad time."

Following the news cricket clubs from all over the county have since expressed their condolences.

A sad week for all involved in cricket in Herefordshire.

Littletown want to make huge improvements to ground

A parish council in Durham is considering borrowing £20,000 to buy a village cricket pitch.

Littletown Cricket Club have asked Pittington Parish Council to buy the land to allow it to make improvements to the ground.

The club rents the land from the Church Commissioners, but the current arrangement dictates that it cannot access the grant funds required to be able to get a new club house.

The Church Commissioners has agreed to sell the land for £35,000, so the cricket club will hope the parish council’s proposal to take out a £20,000 loan from the Public Works Loan Board is successful to complement the £15,000 that has already been offered by local councillors.

It is proposing if it goes ahead with the purchase, the cricket club should pay between £1,000 and £1,300 a year in rent.

Lawnmower trouble at Radcliffe

Radcliffe Cricket Club in Manchester has launched an appeal to raise funds after their old lawn mower broke down.

It is thought that £2,000 need to be raised to purchase an outfield ride on mower which is used to trim the 2.5-acre ground.

Club officer Cath Booth, who set up a JustGiving page on Monday, told The Bolton News: "Radcliffe Cricket Club’s large ground also means a large outfield.

"Unfortunately, our old mower has broken and the parts are not available to fix it any more.

"We are having to pay for a gardener to cut the outfield at the moment.

"The ground needs cutting weekly to maintain a surface suitable for playing cricket.

"A new mower would make cutting the outfield a breeze and we would be saving the cost of getting a gardener to cut it.

"I have already got a list of volunteers willing to cut the outfield when we get a working mower."

Donate to the club at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/radcliffecc

Volunteers launch cricket pavilion renovation

Volunteers have banded together to renovate a cricket pavilion in Worthing, West Sussex, in a heartwarming show of community solidarity.

The cricket pavilion at Lancing Manor Cricket Club’s Manor Park received some much-needed restoration from a group of local tradesmen.

Manor ward councillor Carol Albury told The Worthing Herald the 'mammoth project' was part of local councillors' annual community project.

"Every year, as councillors for Manor ward, we try and do a project that benefits the community," she said.

"The cricket club desperately needed renovations, which they could not afford to do, so by us asking this wonderful group of experienced builders and experts, we were able to renovate the exterior.

"If it wasn’t for this group that gave up their entire weekend, we could not have done this – we are exceptionally grateful, as are the Lancing Manor Cricket Club."

Partnership to blossom in Birmingham

Coaching providers Complete Cricket International and Solihull Blossomfield Cricket Club have agreed a long-term partnership to develop young talent at the club.

It is hoped that the agreement will provide a clear platform to expand the club’s junior section, who will have access to the coaching team through specialist individual sessions.

The partnership will see Complete Cricket become a main sponsor of the club’s brand-new electronic scoreboard and the junior playing shirts.

Ben Seifas, first-team captain at Solihull Blossomfield, told The Birmingham Mail: "Solihull Blossomfield aspire to have a leading pathway from junior cricket up to the first team and county representation.

"With the knowledge and standard of coaching, Complete Cricket have made a significant difference to the level of training our juniors receive and now, with a long-term partnership confirmed, we can look at continuing to grow and succeed as a club.

"The partnership has also helped fund a new electronic scoreboard that wouldn’t be possible without external funding.

"Complete Cricket have really bought into the ethos we are trying to create and are helping to make the improvements on every level at our club."

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