Members at Mill Hill Village Cricket Club are celebrating the completion of brand new state-of-the-art practice nets.

The club, situated in Burtonhole Lane, has not had fit-for-purpose fixed nets for more than 20 years.

Mill Hill Village raised more than £42,000 through members and friends of the club as well as from grants from the likes of the London Borough of Barnet, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the Grange Farm Trust, which supports community and sports projects across London and its surrounding areas.

Work on the site, which began in autumn 2022 after the club’s 1st XI and 2nd XI secured promotions - the club’s most successful season in 30 years - took longer than expected after asbestos was found on the site and had to be safely removed. The project also lost several weeks over the winter and early spring due to bad weather.

The project to build the club's nets, next to the clubhouse, was successfully completed this week and a first practice session was held on Thursday, August 10, hailed a great success by those in attendance.

A club spokesman said: “We are absolutely thrilled to unveil our new nets at Mill Hill Village Cricket Club. The perseverance shown by our members, friends, and the generous support from organisations including Barnet Council, the ECB and the Grange Farm Trust has enabled us to create a stage where budding talents can hone their skills and flourish. As we continue to nurture the enthusiasm of our young and adult cricketers, these nets will stand as a testament to the collective spirit that propels our club forward."