A new cricketing centre has recently been opened at Writhlington School in North Somerset, that will help the development of the game in that part of the county.

Somerset Cricket Development Officer Andrew Moulding told me: "Writhlington School at Radstock needed a new sports hall, and contacted me to say that they were keen to promote cricket."

He continued: "Chief Executive Peter Anderson and myself went up to the school and we could see the potential for establishing a top class cricketing centre in the north of the county."

Mr Moulding went on: " At the same time Bath CC were also keen to try and establish a cricket centre as part of their new pavilion so we invited both parties to come along and make a presentation to the full Somerset Cricket Board, who after considerable deliberation opted for the Writhlington facility."

He continued: "Writhlington applied for National Lottery funding but were turned down. We were all devastated, but their headteacher Marie Getheridge was determined not to be beaten, and thankfully she managed to get the money from other sources, including Bath and North East Somerset and Somerset CCC."

The new Writhlington School cricket centre facility boasts a four lane cricket hall which has just been completed, which is exclusively for cricket use in the evenings and at weekends.

Meanwhile Bath CC are still trying to get the go ahead to establish an indoor cricket facility, and it now seems likely that this will be done in conjunction with Bath University.

Andrew Moulding concluded: "We see Writhlington School as a grass roots development and Bath CC as a Centre of Cricketing Excellence, which is all very good news for the youngsters in the Bath and North East Somerset area of the county."

© SOMERSET