It’s a net gain as £5,000 donation helps future cricket stars in Vale of Clwyd

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More than 120 cricketers in the Vale of Clwyd will benefit from a major new training facility thanks to a £5,000 donation.

Trailer manufacturer Ifor Williams Trailers (IWT), which has factories in Denbighshire and Flintshire, has funded the installation of a brand new net cage at Ruthin Cricket Club’s Memorial Playing Fields.

The enclosed facility features two artificial cricket pitchers where coaches can help youngsters develop their  batting and bowling skills in a safe, match-like environment.

Meanwhile, senior players will also be able to use the nets to improve their game as the club looks to strengthen its future on and off the field.

Club chairman Owen Hughes said: “We were delighted to receive the donation from Ifor Williams Trailers towards this project. It was one of several donations we received and is a project we are very proud of completing.

“The nets look superb and all our junior and senior members are making good use of them.

“Before these new nets were brought in we only had a very small net which was in high demand and with so many youngsters attending something needed to be done.

“They will help our dedicated coaches further their skills. We also hope the new facility will allow us to retain senior players who may have considered moving to other clubs in the area which have similar facilities.”

Ifor Williams Trailers has a proud history of supporting grass roots sports organisations in North Wales as well as being a sponsor of Wrexham AFC since before it was taken over by its new Hollywood owners, Rob Mac and Ryan Reynolds.

IWT marketing manager Joe Pardoe visited the club at Ruthin to inspect the new nets.

He said: “It is important to support the enthusiasm of youngsters playing sport and the Ruthin Cricket Club are clearly having an impact in that respect.

“Our support allows the club to improve the facilities available to the youngsters and it is great to see so many youngsters taking part.”

Among the youngsters enjoying a coaching session in the new nets was Catrin Kneale, 15, and her team-mate Megan Jones, 14.

Megan said: “I play for North Wales and have trained on a similar pitch in St Asaph. This new net has a proper base and is very good to bat on and it means we’ll be able to learn how to play better cricket.

“I’ve played a bit here before but have come back to the club. It’s good fun and I’ve made lots of new friends and the new cage is brilliant.”

Iolo Dawson, nine, and his friend Rhun Gwyther, eight, both said they enjoy a game of football as well as cricket.

“I’ve been learning to bat and bowl since I came here first and I’m really enjoying playing cricket,” said Iolo.

Rhun said he has been to watch first class cricket matches in the past.

“It’s a great game which I enjoy playing,” he said, “and the new net will make sure we play better.”

Another junior player, Glyn James, seven, from Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd added: “I enjoy batting and hitting the ball as hard as I can.”

Ruthin Cricket Club was formally established in 1899 but the town’s cricketing tradition dates even further back, with minutes from 1849 showing an active club led by its president Joseph Peers.

Early rules required boys to carry bats to the pitch for sixpence and included detailed expenditures like linseed oil for the equipment.

The club’s headquarters was officially opened in 1978 and since then the club has continued to expand moving from a casual gentlemen’s recreation to a highly structured multi-team organisation featuring strong representation from senior veterans and upcoming junior talents.

Club secretary Alun Jones said, in addition to two men’s sides who both play in the North Wales league and a ladies team, a large number of youngsters are playing the game.

He said: “Importantly the net cage enables us as coaches the chance to provide all teams with an opportunity to work on team related drills while freeing up further areas of the ground so other teams can do likewise,

“Our teams range from under nines through to under 13s, a new girls team for the under 15s as well as the senior ladies team and two men’s teams who play in divisions three and four of the North Wales League. 

“In order to ensure we maintain our senior sides we place a massive emphasis on our junior section development.

“In addition to the teams we have the Dynamos for children aged seven to nine years and the All Stars for boys and girls aged from four years to seven.

“More than 120 youngsters can be at the club on a Friday evening and with the clubhouse open and plenty of seating we probably have the best beer garden in Ruthin.”