Wednesbury Cricket Club goes from 'strength to strength' on 150th anniversary

The club has secured significant funding over the past 18 months, including £70,000 to install new nets and a further £38,000 to improve the playing surface. 

They currently host up to 100 children and boast four adult teams on a Saturday and two Sunday sides.

The recent funding has come from various sources, with Sport England helping facilitate ground improvements, and the Enovert Community Trust and local council helping finance a new three-lane cricket practice facility. 

"It's a special year for us because we're celebrating our 150th anniversary as a club," chairman Craig Cartwright revealed.

"[We've invested] significantly over the last 18 months. We've had £70,000 new nets installed, we've had a new irrigation system fitted around the square, two hybrid wickets installed. 

"We've got up to 100 children including all-stars and Dynamos. We run five youth teams. 

"Then we've got four adult Saturday teams and two adult Sunday teams. 

"Various pots. Sport England have contributed to the ground improvement, the Council to the cricket nets.

"A lot of improvement has been made across the club and we've got more coaches than we've ever had."

Wednesbury has a rich history in the sport of cricket. First established in 1875, they were one of the founding members of the Birmingham and District Cricket Association five years later in 1880. 

The association also included well-known clubs such as Smethwick, Dudley, Stourbridge, Walsall, Kidderminster, Wolverhampton Rovers, Kings Heath, Wombourne and Aldridge, as well as Elwell's and Salters. 

They would subsequently resign from the Birmingham League in 1890 due to financial constraints and would not return until 2010 after winning promotion from the Staffordshire Clubs League. 

Wednesbury suffered relegation after just two seasons and have since been in the South Stafford League, currently playing in Division 1. 

Over the course of its history, Wednesbury have battled through some challenging times, and local councilor Luke Giles says he is pleased to see it continue to serve as a shrine of the community.

"The cricket club applied for SILF [Community Infrastructure Levy] funding and that was to help them do all the work that they've been doing," Giles added.

"They've done a fantastic job here. I really take my hat off to the club and what they've done with the money.

"The amount of kids that are involved, it's fantastic. You give them something to do and the cricket club is part of Wednesbury.

"These guys have kept this club going through some hard times and to see it thriving like this is just absolutely fantastic."