Manchester Airport might pick up a few UFOs on their radars this weekend as Hale Barns Cricket Club fling their doors open to the public.
Last year’s victorious Ashes summer attracted 310 clubs nationwide to take part in the ECB Club Open Days scheme, with double the number already signed up this season.
One of those clubs is Hale Barns and they are encouraging the community to come out in full force on Sunday July 20 to get a taste of the action down at the club.
Tucked away a mile away from Manchester airport, Hale Barns have organised an array of events for the occasion, including soak the coach, a speed gun challenge and pad whanging – where contestants take turns to see how far they can throw a pad.
Chairman Richard Fretwell wants the club to become a social hub for all the family and says if he can attract new faces this weekend that he will celebrate in a rather unusual way.
“If we get 300 people to come down then it will be fantastic and a huge success,” he said.
“And if of those one family becomes a consistent part of the club then I’ll be ecstatic; if ten families become part of it then I’ll dance naked around the square.
“We have got all sorts going on during the day so there will be plenty to keep people occupied.
“The pad whanging is one I’m really excited about because you get the guys thinking they can throw it miles but they aren’t very aerodynamic and never go far so it’s a good laugh.
“There’ll also be a raffle, a bouncy castle, an ice cream van, soak a coach and the Lancashire mascot will be coming down as well.
“In the evening we will have a band playing so I don’t think there is any chance of people getting bored.”
Former England captain and the ECB’s managing director of cricket partnerships Mike Gatting is fully behind the scheme, adamant the ECB Club Open Day allows Hale Barns to showcase what they do in their community and encourage others to help out.
“The ECB Club Open Days opens the doors [to the public] and can attract some new volunteers, players or even just social members,” Gatting said.
“It also puts the club itself on show to the community so people know that it’s there, and hopefully they can attract new sponsors.
“People can go down to the clubs, see how much fun it is and what they do for the community – getting children involved or simply helping adults expend some energy – and they can see that it’s a great place to be part of.”
The ECB Club Open Days, in partnership with Waitrose, is a nationwide initiative that aims to help boost grassroots cricket participation by encouraging cricket clubs to open their pavilion doors and welcome guests from their local community for a day. Find out when your local Club Open Day is and pop along by visiting www.ecb.co.uk/clubopendays
Main image courtesy of NatWestCricketClub via YouTube, with thanks.
