Metcalfe delighted with Farsley

Mike Gatting presents Ashley Metcalfe with a commemorative plaque

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Video from Farsley CC on their unbelievable NatWest CricketForce day

Farsley cricket club chairman Ashley Metcalfe is predicting a rosy future for the club after the NatWest CricketForce event at the weekend.

ECB managing director cricket partnerships Mike Gatting was there on Sunday braving the inclement conditions to lead his team on the construction of a new portable net facility, while Yorkshire chief executive Stewart Regan and players Adil Rashid, Mark Lawson and Anthony McGrath all mucked in to support the event.

Katherine Brunt shows off her DIY skills

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England women’s Ashes heroes Katherine Brunt and Sarah Taylor were also in attendance to pass on the skills and lend encouragement to the youngsters during an event that attracted over a thousand people.

Metcalfe told ecb.co.uk: “It has been a fantastic experience, I am not sure if you could have predicted six weeks ago what we have achieved. The local support from the companies and the volunteers has been great it has given the club a massive opportunity to move forward at pace.

“Mike Gatting has been leading his own team in assembling the portable net and it is like a big Meccano set but he is getting it done. For Stuart Regan and three of the Yorkshire guys and the England girls to give up their time is a massive boost for the club."

The main area of concern in the clubhouse is the roof that needs to be replaced and work is in progress to make sure that this is taken care of.

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Metcalfe continued: “We are waiting for planning permission for the roof but we have already strengthened a couple of walls and knocked a couple of others down and we have started on some of the internal works.

“We have had a couple of local companies supporting us with materials including scaffolding and insulation so that is really positive.

“We have completely renovated the showers and the changing rooms, new doors and a new window, the shower room has been totally re-tiled, that area of the club will be ready for the start of the season.

“The middle part the lounge we will wait until the roof has been fixed but we have had a new artificial pitch laid and we are having a new portable net put in and we have put in a massive amount of work painting and rebuilding walls.

“We also have enough bricks and breeze blocks to rebuild the score box so that is one of the next jobs.”

Farsley are in the envious position of having the Minister for Sport Gerry Sutcliffe - from Bradford South - as a local MP. Although he could not attend on Sunday because of the Olympic flame relay in London, he has provided invaluable support along with Paul Trusswell.

Metcalfe concluded: “Paul Trusswell - a local MP - is here and Gerry Sutcliffe has promised to come down and see how we are getting on, he is unfortunately down in London at the Olympic torch ceremony but if we do have a re-opening of the ground he will be the man to perform the ceremony.”