Somerset do CricketForce

1 April 2007

Claire Taylor helps tidy up at Taunton

Somerset County Cricket Club’s players and staff along with prolific England batsman Claire Taylor turned out in force to support this year’s NatWest CricketForce at the County Ground in Taunton.

The club used the afternoon of Thursday March 29 to clean, paint and update the ground - also the home of women's cricket - in time for the start of the season, which kicks off for Somerset against Middlesex in the LV County Championship on April 16.

Chief executive Richard Gould said: "It’s a great team ethos that we all got together and worked hard to spruce up the ground. The players all got involved and had a great day. NatWest CricketForce is a fantastic initiative that enthuses the whole community and that’s something we’ve embraced here.”

Taylor added: “NatWest CricketForce is the biggest volunteering event in sport in England and Wales and is a brilliant opportunity for people to get involved with their local cricket clubs. Volunteers are crucial to any cricket club and to have over 80,000 involved over the course of one weekend is a testament to their dedication."

Somerset's vice-captain Andrew Caddick commented: "NatWest CricketForce is a fantastic incentive for any club to revamp their facilities. This year over 1150 clubs are taking part in the initiative – which is a record number since it’s inauguration."

Somerset all-rounder Ian Blackwell said: "NatWest CricketForce is a lot of fun and something everybody at the grounds can get involved in. To have an estimated £30-35 million invested in cash and kind over the weekend is an incredible achievement and will make a difference to over 1,000 clubs across the country.”