Grassroots cricket boost: £3.5k for 192-year-old club

Bowled over: Sawley Cricket Club’s Charles Baines and Cllr Kewal Singh Athwal with the new motorised roller.

A much-loved Erewash cricket club that has existed since before Queen Victoria came to the throne has been given a £3,500 boost by the borough council – ahead of it marking its double century.

The community grant follows a battle to keep the grass flat between wickets at Sawley Cricket Club, which was founded in 1834 when William IV was monarch, and Earl Grey was Prime Minister.

A new roller to replace the club’s rusty old one was seen as being just the cup of tea for maintaining the main pitch at Long Eaton’s West Park plus more than 20 additional practice areas there.

The historic club applied to the town hall for what is known as a Member Grant – which needs to be endorsed by an elected representative. Wilsthorpe’s Cllr Kewal Singh Athwal – a long-time backer of the cricket club – gave his support to the bid.

The new motorised roller replaces the physically demanding old manual version, making work much easier for grounds staff.

Thrilled first team player Charles Baines, 24, who acts as the club’s head of operations, said as he tried it out: “This is brilliant and we can’t thank the council enough, especially since the new season is getting underway. We are also indebted to Cllr Athwal for his continuing support.”

Charles works as a joiner and recently finished installing a smart new bar at the club’s Bill Camm Pavilion. The clubhouse in West Park is named in tribute to a long-serving former Erewash councillor who was also a big supporter of cricket in the borough.

Sawley Cricket Club’s 3rd XI were last year’s champions in the Derbyshire County Cricket League Division 8 (South). The first XI play in Division One.

The club also fields junior teams and bills itself online as “friendly, sociable and inclusive”. People wanting to join are invited to get in touch via its website: Sawley CC

The club is particularly proud of its women and girls team – the Sawley Swans. Last month a free women and girls taster session was held at West Park Leisure Centre.

The emphasis was on having fun, according to an online post which said: “Participants of various ages and abilities took part in some training routines focusing on the key areas of cricket – bowling, batting and fielding.

“Thank you to everyone who came, with lots of new faces showing interest in joining the women and girls section.”

Erewash Borough Council’s Deputy Leader, Cllr Becca Everett, who is Lead Member for Community Engagement, said: “It is amazing to think that the cricket club is 192 years old – dating back nearly two centuries. The [borough] council is proud to help keep such a historic cricketing tradition going from strength to strength.”

A fresh round of community grants will soon be launched by the council – with a total of £300,000 available.

For updates and information visit: Community Grants | Erewash Borough Council