CELEBRATIONS are in full swing at Lanyhdrock Cricket Club after a grant for state-of-the -art new training nets came through.

Thanks to the £44,500 award from the SUEZ Communities Trust, the club will be installing a two-lane, enclosed, artificial batting net system to replace a single net practice lane put in in the 1980s.

The new facility will enable batting practice to take place much more often, as players won’t be so much at the mercy of the weather, said club chairman Steve Cavendish.

“We will now have a first class practice facility which will be amongst the best in the county,” he said.

“It will prove to be highly beneficial not only to our existing young and senior cricketers, and to our coaching team, but also to any potential new members wishing to get involved.” Lanhydrock Cricket Club membership is open to all, and they welcome anyone interested in playing the sport to come along and have a go, whether or not they’ve had cricketing experience.

The club, set in the grounds of Lanhydrock House on the outskirts of Bodmin, has a successful youth provision, with a current membership topping 70 youngsters, and a friendly senior section.

Founded in 1863, Lanhydrock currently have two teams affiliated to the Cornwall Cricket League, competing in County One and Division Four East.

Steve says that the club hopes the new facility will have a wider positive impact on health and wellbeing in the community: the committee wants to create new partnerships between clubs, schools and other groups in the area.

“We’re looking to enable local schools to use the facilities,” he said, “as green space within schools is pretty much non-existent when it comes to cricket. It’ll be an ideal facility for secondaries.”

Among the club’s longer-term plans is to enhance the grounds further with an extended clubhouse and changing rooms. Planning permission was sought for this at the same time as the new nets, says Steve, but it will be a case of fundraising for the project over the coming three or four years.

And another ambition for the club is to form a Women’s XI.

“There are around six female teams in Cornwall,” said Steve, “but they are mainly down west, I think in the east we’ve got Launceston.

“We’ve got quite a lot of girls who are playing cricket and we’d like to see some of them carry on as adult players, and in time, we are keen to set up a women’s team.”

Steve says the club is grateful to SUEZ for the funding boost and to main kit sponsors the Halfway House and other sponsors for their ongoing support.

Marek Gordon, chairman of the SUEZ Communities Trust, said: “SUEZ Communities Trust provides funding awards through the Landfill Communities Fund. We were delighted to be able to offer funding to Lanhydrock Cricket Club.”

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