Village club with an eye on anniversary
WITH a year to go until its 125th anniversary, there is already talk about celebrations and fundraising at Great Alne Cricket Club.
A dazzling new pavilion stands proud overlooking the playing field and a cricket net could further bolster the village side’s facilities if skipper Tom Alder has his way.
Around £25,000 was raised by players and volunteers to help fund building work that saw the former run-down facility replaced with one offering smart new changing rooms, a kitchen and bar. Showers were added last year.
Alder said: “A lot of work has gone in over the past few years with the pavilion and in making it a better square. Some of the lads travel from quite a distance but it works because of the ethos here at the club and the camaraderie. The pavilion is our pride and joy.
“Some players travel from as far as Worcester, Winchcombe and Kenilworth and they do that because of what we have built here. It is our 125th anniversary next year and hopefully we will be doing some quite big things and raising some more funds for our next project. We’ve spoken about putting some nets in and we are always looking for our next challenge.”
Alder is in his second stint as captain having grown up in the village and having been around the club for much of his life.
He added: "I had a stint about ten years ago when I was 18. I live and breathe Great Alne Cricket Club so this is perfect for me. I came along to the kids cricket week when I was 14 and have never looked back. There are quite a few who became involved like that.”
Alison Walters helps develop the club’s juniors along with a number of other roles including serving at Spike’s Bar, named in memory of her husband Matthew who died while playing for Great Alne.
She said: “We hope to get the juniors running again next season but we will still be running our cricket fun week in the first week of the summer holidays which we’ve been running for many years and which is always very popular.”
