By Charles Randall
27 March 2014
Further financial help has been made available to clubs hit by the winter's bad weather with the announcement by the England and Wales Cricket Trust of a £1.75 million emergency fund.
The Trust expects to distribute £500,000 in grants and provide £1.25 million in interest-free loans to repair the extensive damage suffered up and down the country, mainly caused by flooding.
Clubs needing support to ensure cricket can be played during the 2014 season can contact the ECB directly at facilities@ecb.co.uk to enquire about the Trust's emergency fund. The initiative started after an initial consultation by ECB revealed that more than 100 clubs had been affected by severe flooding and storm damage.
The south west and south east of England were the worst-hit areas, with clubs experiencing flooding of their grounds, pavilions and machinery stores. High winds and storms caused damage to sightscreens, and many clubs needed assistance to clear fallen trees and debris from their grounds.
Other key projects could include removing silt and algae from outfields and squares, replacing non-turf practice facilities and pitches, redecorating pavilions and clubhouses, repairing guttering and roofs, and sourcing alternative cricket pitches to rent while fine turf works are completed.
The ECB's chief executive David Collier said: "The recent bad weather has inflicted extensive damage upon our network of recreational cricket clubs and left a significant number facing a real threat to their continued existence. Our priority is to offer urgent assistance to these clubs and enable them to play cricket during the 2014 season.
"We are hugely grateful to the Trust for activating its emergency fund and also very appreciative of Sport England's recent decision to create a £5 million Flood Relief fund to help restore pitches and sports facilities affected by this winter's floods and storms."
The action over the past couple of years by the ECB, England and Wales Cricket Trust, Sport England and some local councils has averted a serious crisis in recreational cricket.