July 16, 2026 - 198 views
More than 120 young cricketers in Denbighshire are set to benefit from a new training facility after a £5,000 donation helped fund a brand new net cage at Ruthin Cricket Club.
Trailer manufacturer Ifor Williams Trailers (IWT), which has factories in Denbighshire and Flintshire, supported the project at the club’s Memorial Playing Fields, providing vital funding towards the new enclosed practice area.
The facility includes two artificial cricket pitches, allowing coaches to help players develop their batting and bowling skills in a safe environment which closely replicates match conditions.
The new nets will be used by junior players learning the game, while also giving senior teams the opportunity to improve their skills as the club continues to grow.
Club chairman Owen Hughes said the support had helped deliver a project the club was extremely proud of.
“We were delighted to receive the donation from Ifor Williams Trailers towards this project,” he said.
“It was one of several donations we received and is a project we are very proud of completing.
“The nets look superb and all our junior and senior members are making good use of them.
“Before these new nets were brought in we only had a very small net which was in high demand and with so many youngsters attending something needed to be done.”
He added that the new facility would help coaches develop players and could also help retain senior cricketers who may previously have considered moving to clubs with better facilities.
IWT marketing manager Joe Pardoe visited the club to see the completed project and said supporting grassroots sport remained an important part of the company’s community work.
“It is important to support the enthusiasm of youngsters playing sport and the Ruthin Cricket Club are clearly having an impact in that respect,” he said.
“Our support allows the club to improve the facilities available to the youngsters and it is great to see so many youngsters taking part.”
Among those enjoying coaching sessions in the new nets were 15-year-old Catrin Kneale and her teammate Megan Jones, 14.
Megan, who plays for North Wales, said the new facility would help young players improve.
“This new net has a proper base and is very good to bat on and it means we'll be able to learn how to play better cricket,” she said.
“It’s good fun and I've made lots of new friends and the new cage is brilliant.”
Young players Iolo Dawson, nine, and Rhun Gwyther, eight, said they enjoyed both cricket and football, while seven-year-old Glyn James said he loved batting and hitting the ball as hard as he could.
Ruthin Cricket Club, which was formally established in 1899, has a long history in the town, with records showing cricket was being played there as far back as 1849.
The club has grown from its early days as a recreational team into a multi-team organisation with a strong focus on developing future talent.
Club secretary Alun Jones said the new nets would provide opportunities across all teams, while helping coaches deliver better training sessions.
“The net cage enables us as coaches the chance to provide all teams with an opportunity to work on team related drills while freeing up further areas of the ground so other teams can do likewise,” he said.
The club currently has two men’s teams competing in the North Wales League, a ladies team, junior sides from under-nines through to under-13s, a new under-15 girls team, as well as All Stars and Dynamos sessions for younger children.
Mr Jones said the club can regularly see more than 120 youngsters taking part on a Friday evening.
“In order to ensure we maintain our senior sides we place a massive emphasis on our junior section development,” he said.
“With the clubhouse open and plenty of seating we probably have the best beer garden in Ruthin.”
