WESTBURY and District Cricket Club’s volunteer groundsmen have been shortlisted for Volunteer Grounds Management Team of the Year.
Dan Gill and Rich Oakley, who look after the cricket ground in Westbury, have been nominated in the Wiltshire Cricket’s Grassroots Cricket Awards for their hard work over the past year. The awards look to recognise the unsung heroes of cricket in the county. Also in the running are the teams at Corsham CC, Collingbourne CC and Potterne CC.
A spokesperson from the club says, “Following the maintenance of the ground at Leighton being taken in-house by Westbury and District Cricket Club, the club purchased all the machinery, and needed volunteers to maintain the wicket and pitch.
“Dan Gill and Rich Oakley stepped up and work tirelessly preparing a surface and facility that was voted amongst the top few in Wiltshire during 2022. Both Dan and Rich work in their spare time, often up the ground early and late each day, marking, rolling and cutting to ensure surfaces are ready for games. This often involves repairing damage by dogs, cars, bikes and extreme weather.
“The nomination of Dan and Rich at the Wiltshire Cricket Grassroots Cricket awards in November is for Volunteer Grounds Management Team of the Year recognising both for making a real difference to the club, improving the places where the game is played and going above and beyond to get the game on.
“Within a modern cricket club, the responsibilities have never been bigger for those responsible for leading their club. Equally, there are many more programmes to deliver, competitions to enter, and opportunities for clubs to access. Whilst this is all brilliant for the growth of cricket, Wiltshire Cricket are very aware of the demands it places on volunteer time and often in cricket clubs this falls on one or two key volunteers.”
A thank you and awards evening will take place on Monday 7th November.
