DOLGELLAU Cricket Club formally opened their new outdoor training facility.

The ambitious North Wales Cricket League Division One side have finally finished constructing the site, situated on the Marian Mawr playing fields, with the nets to be used by the club and a host of schools from across the region.

The club has been working hard to develop its membership over the past few years, including establishing junior and women’s sections, and seeing the senior team grow for strength to strength.

This has coincided with efforts to develop the ground and purchase new equipment, something that led to increased recognition for the club and awards for some of its members, including the Sports Wales Volunteer of the Year 2018 and an Outstanding Service to Cricket Award in 2017.

It chosen by Cricket Wales to receive £38,000 from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to build outdoor nets to improve training facilities for members and young people in the area.

A Dolgellau Cricket Club spokesman, said: “The nets will raise the standard and consistency of training, particularly for batting, and will allow training and sessions for schools to be held more regularly, regardless of the weather. This is the only facility of its sort within an hour of the Marian.

“Dolgellau Cricket Club would like to thank the funders for their generous support, without whom the project would not have been possible: the ECB, Gwynedd County Council, Magnox, Groundwork UK, Dolgellau Rotary Club, Mawddach Rotary Club and the Marian Trustees.”

The set-ups first team have made an encouraging start to life in the second tier, although they exited the Welsh Cup with a home loss to Premier Division side Llandudno on Sunday.