Club expanding in bid to attract female players

A cricket club is aiming to get more women and young people involved after expanding its practice facilities with a fundraising drive.

Ickleton Cricket Club in Cambridgeshire raised £36,000 for equipment so that more people could practise at any given time.

Fundraising was encouraged by Fiona whose 14-year-old daughter, Lorna, had to pause training last year, despite having played youth cricket for many years alongside her brother.

Edmund Harcourt, chairman of the club, said two new all-weather practise nets and wickets were due to be installed in March, in a hope to "transform" the clubs ability to support more young players across all ages.

The club said it had secured grants last year from the England and Wales Cricket Board and Sport England, alongside donations and sponsorships.

A sponsored run was held in November, raising £7,000 from people completing 3,000 laps of the cricket square.

Additional funds would be used to employ a communications officer to encourage membership, especially among girls aged 13-18.

Harcourt said there would be "a lot of groundwork involved" to install the durable nets, including adding a type of artificial grass which was "bouncy" and more similar to real wickets.

"We're keen to encourage more people to join us – especially women and girls who want to try their hand at the crease," he said.

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