WIMBORNE Cricket Club hosted the Lashings International XI and officially opened their brand-new nets.

The club played host for the Lashings festival day and saw a number of former international players come to the town.

The internationals took part in some morning coaching sessions with the club’s youth players, before a T20 match against the first XI.

The Lashings World XI won the toss and opted to bat, with their side including former England players John Emburey and Adam Hollioake.

Henry ‘Blowers’ Blofeld was on the microphone in the commentary box, and former England spinner Geoff Miller gave a speech on the day.

Cricket has been played in Wimborne since 1793 and the club has been at its current ground since 2010, becoming a beacon for the community.

(Image: Stephen Nicholls)

As well as hosting the Lashings days and the Dorset county side, the club has five senior men’s teams, a midweek evening team, a women’s team, girl’s sides in U9s to U13s and five age group boys and mixed teams.

More than 200 girls and boys have taken part in the ECB-backed junior All Stars and Dynamos coaching sessions run by volunteers and club players.

The new nets, which have been sponsored by Wyatt Homes, will provide a much-needed facility to promote the development of young players at the club, while also giving top-level provision for adult players.

The club has seen three Dorset Premier League titles in the past eight years and was crowned T20 champions this season, while also having its U15s become regional champions for two seasons in a row.

(Image: Stephen Nicholls)

But the club is not resting on its laurels and wants to welcome more of the community, build links with the town’s other sports clubs, grow its women’s and girl’s sections and create new opportunities to promote the game for all ages and abilities.

A club spokesperson said: “This was a splendid occasion to have the new facility officially opened and we are indebted to Wyatt Homes and their generous contribution to enabling the project to go forward and to support this community sports club and its wide youth and adult membership.

“We very much look forward to continuing our relationship with the company and welcoming them along to the club in the future.”

The game itself on the day was won by Lashings, in a close-run game, with the visitors posting 153-4 from their 20 overs, thanks to a knock of 85 from 52 balls from Chris Schofield.

Wimborne got close in response, with contributions across the card, but ended on 149 for the loss of nine wickets, despite a last wicket partnership of 25 runs.