“There are many leagues in Lancashire and they play a really important part in bringing through our next generation of cricketers”
Mike Watkinson, Director of Cricket, Lancashire CCC
old ground for the site of a new superstore in the town, enabling the club to build a brand new ground and clubhouse costing £2 million, a far cry from the £30.12s.5d they had to shell out for a new ground in 1875! The club employed the services of Club Design Ltd. to design and project manage the new facilities. The ground construction work was awarded to John Mallison (Ormskirk) Ltd. Work began on building a twenty strip square and large outfield in 2008, with the new facilities officially opened in August 2009. The club also received input from former Old Trafford groundsman, Pete Marron, to oversee some of the work. The ground is protected by a 6ft high perimeter fence and, whilst an expensive item in itself, was added to, to the tune of £25,000, when Great Crested Newts
were found on the site. The extra cost was to comply with planning regulations, conducting a survey and building a ‘newt run’ to a nearby pond. The club were also required to plant over one hundred trees and various hedges to soften the fence line. A memorial garden was also constructed to allow members to remember their loved ones.
A two bay practice net was installed at a cost of £25,000. Unfortunately, this has already suffered some mindless vandalism when a section of the artificial carpet was cut away! The club have also installed the latest, advanced technology scoreboard, which allows the scorer to upload remotely from any part of the ground or clubhouse - perfect if he fancies a pint!
The club run three senior men’s sides
and provide a number of junior teams from under 11s to under 18s. Total membership hovers at around 1,000,
providing an important social life for the town. They also have a thriving ladies rounders league, utilising some spare ground away from the outfield. The club run five teams using two rounders courts. Matches are played most evenings throughout the summer months. Westhoughton have appointed Gary
Dixon, a former player, as chairman. Gary runs a tight ship, organising a number of people to help run the club. All the work is on a voluntary basis, apart from the cricket coach, groundsman and bar steward. The club are keen to maximise the earning potential of the new clubhouse facilities. There are already over 150 bookings for weddings, corporate business and birthday bashes. As Gary points out, it is all well and good having great facilities, but they must be managed correctly to ensure the future of the club.
The club has enlisted the services of
Paul Tatton as Head Groundsman to oversee all the
maintenance works required at the club.
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