BROADSTONE Cricket Club is getting ready to show off its refurbished social area with an open day on Sunday, July 3.

In conjunction with the England Cricket Board’s Open Days initiative, the Gravel Hill outfit will be one of more than 1,000 clubs nationwide to open its doors to the local community.

The event, which will last from 10am until 9pm, will mark the launch of new outdoor facilities for a club that has 17 teams across its junior and senior set-up.

Fixture secretary Keith Brewer said: “We’re heavily reliant on volunteers so we’re hoping to get a couple more when people come to this event.

“Everyone has different skill-sets and specialities, so if Broadstone can cash in on those then that’s great news for us.”

Entering its third year, the ECB Club Open Day scheme has proved to be a successful initiative.

After 900 clubs welcomed 116,820 guests at events in 2014, some 9,000 new players, volunteers and social members were attracted to grassroots cricket.

And Brewer is hoping the day, which includes a match for supporters to watch and coaching opportunities for children, will be a success for all who attend.

He continued: “We’re trying our best to get kids doing stuff, making the day as interactive for them as possible, and to try to incorporate as many different events as we can.

“Last year, the coaching had 25 people, with roughly double that attending altogether, so if we can beat that it would be excellent.”

For more information about Waitrose Club Open Days, visit ecb.co.uk/clubopendays