WORK is set to start on a new nursery training ground to develop the next generation of young cricket hopefuls after a £150,000 fundraising appeal reached its target.

Durham County Cricket Club will create a new training centre for young people and women cricketers after receiving cash backing from three North-East organisations

County Durham Community Foundation (CDCF), The Banks Group and the Sir James Knott Trust have donated £100,000 between them, which will be added to the £50,000 raised by the club.

Work will begin immediately on outdoor practice nets and the club is working with Durham County Council to develop a new pitch next to the Emirates Durham International Cricket Ground in Chester-le-Street.

The nursery ground will become a community resource for the region that local clubs can use to develop their team, allowing them to practice on a professional standard field.

Barbara Gubbins, chief executive of grant-making charity CDCF which donated £40,000, said the centre would “leave a lasting legacy” to be used by people for many years to come.

She added: “We’re absolutely delighted to be supporting DCCC in its quest to make cricket an even more accessible sport for community groups – and particularly young people – in the area.

“The work the club has done through its academy for many years, and with limited resources, is testament to the passion, commitment and ability of its team, and we know what a huge difference this added capacity, thanks to increased training space, will bring.”

The campaign reached its total with a £30,000 donation from The Banks Group to add to £30,000 from the Sir James Knott Trust announced in May.

Lewis Stokes, from The Banks Group, said: “The nursery training ground will deliver a huge boost to the area, so we’re thrilled be helping turn DCCC’s vision into a reality.”

The club launched its First Class Futures campaign last year, backed by The Northern Echo, to create an ambitious new facility where the next generation of cricketers could hone their skills and its Crowdfunder appeal raised £50,000 toward the target within six weeks.

Cricket club chief executive David Harker said: “This nursery ground really will help us to change many more lives in the area, and build upon the fantastic efforts of our teams.”

He said the club’s successful outreach programme to encourage grassroots cricket was hampered by a lack of practice fields.

He added: “Demands placed on local community clubs can often mean that women do not get their chance to partake in the sport, and we have seen at the club that our best female talent has had no option but to move away from the North-East to pursue a career in cricket.

“To have a space that can be used by so many will truly transform the club’s ability to positively change lives.”