WORK on Bury Cricket Club’s new £100,000 pavilion is now underway.

Officials at the Radcliffe Road club are optimistic the development will be completed by the start of the next season – April 20 – when Bury host Astley and Tyldesley in their opening Bolton Association fixture following their switch from the Manchester Association.

“It’s a tight timescale, but we’re hopeful we can keep to it,” said club chairman Mark Smith.

“Bury CC is part of Bury Sports Club and one of the things I was asked to do by the members was to explore the possibility of entering a new league, which we have now done.

“Another was the provision of our own home for senior and junior cricket.

“The new facility will have changing rooms, showers, a kitchen, a committee room and a viewing area for scorers.

“But it is important to stress that the sports club has been very supportive of us in our work, and we remain supportive in return.

“We could not have this new pavilion without the sports club’s permission.”

The club has received no grants to carry out the work. The cash has been raised by members who have packed bags in supermarkets, organised golf days and former players’ dinners, and others who have dipped into their own pocket.

“We’re a town cricket club and one thing that’s happened recently is that we have been able to bring former members back,” added Smith, whose next objective is to provide covered nets to assist Bury’s team of coaches who work with 150-plus youngsters who turn up each week to develop their cricket skills.