Harrogate Cricket Club officially opened new practice nets last night after a successful £105,000 fundraising appeal.

The four-lane nets, which are available to all club's members, are among the finest cricket training facilities in the country.

First team players Ishan Abeysekara and Jack Shutt cut a ribbon to mark the occasion at the club's St George's Road ground.

The two spin bowlers then held a spin masterclass in the nets with young players.

The club, which has 300 players at adult and junior level for males and females, began the appeal in April 2023 because its old nets were in need of upgrading.

Two anonymous donations gave the appeal an initial £30,000 boost and players and members continued to generate funds for the nets, which were built by cricket specialists Total Play..

Aidan Bell, a committee member who led the fundraising sub-committee, said last night:

Carl Wright, managing director of Leeds construction firm Jack Lunn, handed over a cricket bat signed by England men's 50-over World Cup winning side of 2019 at last night's opening.

The company was awarded the bat when it became the first corporate sponsor to give £5,000 to the appeal.

Mr Wright said the firm had decided to loan it back in memory of its non-executive director Richard Brown, who died 18 months ago and whose son plays for the club.

Mr Wright said:

Harrogate Cricket Club's men's first team plays in the Yorkshire Premier League North and has a growing number of female players, especially juniors. It also has walking cricket teams.

The new nets are only available for club use. However, the club is welcoming the community to use its older nets for free.

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