Devon Cricket Board - Cornwood net gainers thanks to Olympics

Cornwood net gainers thanks to Olympics

Celebration time at Cornwood as club chairman Graham Baskerville receives a cheque for £50,000 towards new practice nets at Oak Park - below, some of the youngsters who can't wait for the new nets to open

THE London Olympics may be eight months away, but a Devon cricket club is already benefiting from the games' legacy!

Cornwood CC, the ambitious A Division club just outside Plymouth, has won a £50,000 grant from Sport England's Inspired Facilities fund.

Inspired Facilities is part of the £135 million Places People Play legacy programme that is bringing the magic of a home Olympic and Paralympic Games into communities across the country.

Every sports facility that receives funding will carry the London 2012 Inspire mark - celebrating the link to the Games.

Cornwood are spending their grant on replacing worn out practice nets at their Oak Park ground.

With eight junior and five senior teams - as well as close links to local schools which use the facilities - it is not a surprise the nets are worn out.

The nets are also used for training during District and County cricket events and tournaments.

The award will contribute towards the purchase of a new four-lane practice facility.

Graham Baskerville, the club chairman, said: "Everyone at Cornwood is delighted to have been awarded this Inspired Facilities Grant Award from Sport England.

"The growth in participation we have experienced in recent years has been phenomenal, thanks largely to the efforts of all our many hard-working club volunteers and coaches.

"We have been eager to improve our ageing practice nets to match our other fantastic club facilities, and this grant award has enabled this to happen.

"The new nets will allow our colts and senior players to practice in a top-quality training environment, which can only improve their development in the game.

"There is no doubt they will get a lot of use throughout the season. We are thrilled our practice nets will be a lasting legacy of the London Olympics, something we will always remember. "

Sport England's chair, Richard Lewis, said: "This investment will create will be a fantastic sporting legacy for the Cornwood area."

MP Gary Streeter, whose constituency includes Cornwood, said: "I am thrilled by the awarding of this grant to Cornwood Cricket Club which I know will be put to good use in training up local youngsters from all backgrounds in the delights of cricket.

"I would like to sincerely thank Sport England for their generosity."

Streeter is pictured below (far right) with Cornwood officials at the presentation of the £50,000 cheque.

A total of 632 sports groups from across the country applied to the first round of Inspired Facilities - while another 2,000 applications have been created by organisations looking to apply in the four remaining funding rounds.

The new nets enhance facilities at Cornwood, which are the envy of clubs across Devon and further a field.

A new £450,000 pavilion was opened in 2010 to cater for the club's expansion since it was formed in 1954.

Cornwood CC runs four senior men's teams in the Francis Clark Devon Cricket League and a women's team in the Devon Ladies Cricket League.

Mid-week & Sunday teams provide opportunities for cricket players of all ability levels.

Cornwood has two full-sized grounds side-by-side to cope with the demand for cricket at the club.

To find out more about Cornwood CC, either visit the club website or contact club development officer Nick Goodliffe on 01752 837111 or email him at nickgoodliffe111@btinternet.com.

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