A WIRRAL cricket club hit hard by the pandemic needs your support for a fundraising campaign to replace fencing as it prepares for centenary celebrations.

The cast iron railings on the perimeter of Wallasey Cricket Club's Oval ground in Rosclare Drive have been in place since the club opened for its game in 1921.

Their condition has deteriorated over the years and become, according to a club spokesperson "a major liability rather than an asset".

Wirral Globe:

Small sections were described as fine, but many stretches had gone missing and even worse, in several places had rusted and become detached from the framework with a tendency to give way, leaving sharp, dangerous pieces which could have caused serious injury to passers-by on the pavement outside of the ground.

The spokesperson continued: "We therefore decided that our centenary was the right time to replace this unsightly and dangerous perimeter with a more modern and purpose built fence around the ground.

"This new fence is four metres high and replaces not only the railings but the netting above the railings that we had to try and stop well-hit balls from causing damage to the neighbours’ houses and property that completely surround our ground."

The club was founded in 1864.

It was on St. George's Day 1921 that the first cricket match was played at The Oval in Rosclare Drive.

The campaign for new railings has been "kick-started" by an amazing £20,000 donation from one of the club's long-standing members. 

A number of initiatives have been organised to recoup the additional £40,000 costs during the remainder of this year.

These include:

Crowdfunding Appeal - https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/wallasey-cricket-club-replacement-perimeter-fence 

Late May Bank Holiday "Village Fayre" - Music, various stalls, food outlets, donkey rides, slot cars, etc.

August Bank Holiday beer, cricket and music festival.

Fireworks' Night. The hugely popular event was held up until 2018. It was cancelled because of bad weather in 2019 and off last year, because of Covid.

Urging our readers to support the appeal, spokesperson for the club said: "As with many, Wallasey Cricket Club has felt the severe financial difficulties created by the pandemic.

"In the year between April 2020 and March 2021, we've only been able to open for twelve full weeks.

"We are very fortunate in that one of our long-standing members donated £20,000 towards the cost of the project.

"This new fencing, which we hope will serve us well for many years to come, is at a cost of circa £60,000 and so we are hoping to raise £40,000 from several fundraising initiatives during the year - one of which will be this Crowdfunding drive.

"As a token of our gratitude for donations, we will be supplying a small commemorative gift to all donors, as well as providing a brick-sized plaque on our centenary wall which can be worded in any way you wish (up to 60 characters including spaces) for any contributions of £50 or over.

"In addition, various rewards are available and we hope to add more as the campaign progresses.

"Please help us to raise the funds we need so that we can continue to provide a safer environment for all who use and live near to the Oval and, especially, to ensure that our ground perimeter is secure for all the juniors that enjoy learning the pleasures that cricket offers."