we don't like cricket, WE LOVE IT.

Just behold the following image,

Isn't that a beautiful cricket venue?

That is Threlkeld Cricket Club. It is a small village club in Cumbria which has a 1st X1, a midweek side, an U11 and an U13 side.Cricket has been played at Threlkeld for nearly 100 years and until 10 years ago the facilities consisted of a tin shed. After many years of hard work and tireless fundraising, enough money was raised to build a new club house. 5 years after this a local farmer donated a large piece of adjoining land and the pitch was extended, the ground levelled and a new square laid. Threlkeld was runner up in Wisden's prettiest ground competition. The ground is not only used for Cricket but for the village school sports day, hound trailing, children’s parties and other local events. It is truly a community facility.

In June 2012 after a period of heavy rain a raised culvert filled with gravel and overflowed. Tonnes of gravel, rubble and toxic silt were deposited on large parts of the ground, especially the square. The water course drained old lead mine workings upstream and as a result the silt was laced with lead, arsenic and cadmium.

Not only does the rubble need to be removed but the top soil is contaminated and will need replacing along with proper disposal (a study has been carried out by the England & Wales Cricket Board). Estimates from the England & Wales Cricket Board suggest this will cost upward of £50,000 to sort out. Not only has the club lost it's ground it has also lost a key revenue stream as no money is being spent in the bar on match days and the ground can't be used for events. The club has very limited financial resources and without help Cricket may never be played at Threlkeld again.

But the players of Threlkeld Cricket Club don't like cricket, THEY LOVE IT. So, rather than sobbing at the loss of their long shadows on a manicured green wicket, the team packed up their whites and went on a search for the most inspiring and extreme wickets the glorious Lake District has to offer. Check them out,

Local photographer Stuart Holmes willingly volunteered to record their extra ordinary cricket matches. The result is an amazing A3 calendar featuring 12 unique and individual cricketing photos. If you buy this amazingly beautiful calendar you also support them in their effort to save their cricket club and keeping their cricket alive. So if you really love cricket i urge you to visit their official website rainstoppedplay and buy it today.

You can visit their Facebook page on,
https://www.facebook.com/ExtremeCricketCalendar

Cheers!!!!