Sir Ian Botham bowled over by Fordhouses Cricket Club revamp
Sir Ian Botham paid tribute to Fordhouses Cricket Club as he formally took the wraps off the £400,000 transformation of the site.
Botham, a personal friend of Fordhouses president Kevin Threlfall, stopped off at the Wobaston Road site on his way down to Lord's to get ready for TV duties for today's first Test of the English summer.
"It's a fantastic effort by Kevin and everyone here – the facilities are wonderful," said Beefy. I have been and always will be as big supporter of grass-roots cricket.
"You don't just suddenly get an 18-year-old cricketer turn up ready to play for his county. This is where it all begins, at clubs such as this."
Botham's star turn on the opening day brings to a happy close a protracted 22-year struggle for Fordhouses, formerly based at Taunton Avenue but plunged into a search for a new base when landlords Bradburn & Wedge went into administration in 1991.
Moving to their new site in 2006 and boosted by £100,000 from the sale of the ground and a £300,000 payment from the developers to fund the project, work began on transforming their new base. The club now boasts a revamped two-storey clubhouse with new changing rooms, function rooms and viewing gallery while outdoors there are two cricket pitches, a new net facility and a bowls green.
It's an impressive set-up and while the Fordhouses first team adjust to the new demands of Birmingham League Division Two cricket, the club do not intend this to be the end of the journey.
"Onwards and upwards," said president Mr Threlfall. "This is a wonderful day for the club but we've got to keep progressing until we challenge Wolverhampton."
