Ashington Town Council grant funds new wicket cutter for Ashington Rugby Cricket Club
Ashington Town Council's Civic Head, Cllr Caroline Ball, visited Ashington Rugby Cricket Club on 31 July to see the new wicket cutter purchased with support from the Council's Annual Grant Aid fund.
The club's old cutter was no longer fit for purpose, and the replacement is essential to preparing cricket wickets for its busy fixture list, which includes two Saturday teams, a Midweek team, two Junior teams and a Ladies team.
Cllr Ball was pictured with the club's Chairman and Groundsman, Paul Milburn.
Cllr Caroline Ball said:
"Great to have a tour and hear about all the great work volunteers do at the club. We are so lucky to have so many great people doing so much in our community."
A club spokesperson said:
"A very big thank you to Ashington Town Council who supported our cricket club with funding from the Annual Grant Aid fund. With the grant funding we purchased a new wicket cutter after our old machine was no longer fit for purpose. We would also like to thank Turfcare who supplied the new cutter and for also supporting our club by allowing us to use their demonstrator machine after our old machine was no longer working, which allowed us to continue preparing wickets."
About Ashington Rugby Cricket Club
Ashington Rugby Cricket Club provides recreational cricket opportunities for people living in the Ashington area of Northumberland, promoting social welfare and the physical and social benefits of an active lifestyle. Founded in 1982, the club now has over 131 members aged between 5 and 70, with activities open to anyone regardless of age, ethnicity, background, financial position or ability.
The club fields three teams competing in the Northumberland and Tyneside Cricket League, including a Thursday team that gives players who cannot secure a place in the Saturday sides, or who are new to the game, a chance to play.
Six years ago, the club launched its All Stars and Dynamos programme, supported by the England and Wales Cricket Board, for children aged 5 to 8 and 8 to 11 respectively. This season the club has 22 All Stars and 8 Dynamos, with sign-ups still ongoing, alongside 27 further children playing in its Under 11s and Under 13s junior teams.
With support from a grant from the Northumberland Cricket Board, the club has again been able to offer free places in its All Stars and Dynamos programme to children who might otherwise be unable to afford the sign-up fee, ensuring cost is never a barrier to taking part.
Last year the club also launched a ladies' team, initially playing friendly fixtures. This season the team has progressed to the Northumberland Ladies Cricket League, playing their first league game on Sunday 26 April 2026, with 21 women now wanting to play and train.
Unlike most cricket clubs, which typically charge an annual membership fee of between £50 and £250, Ashington Rugby Cricket Club charges no membership fee, keeping the sport accessible to those on low incomes. The club instead relies on fundraising, sponsorship and social events to support its running costs.
Looking ahead, the club's priorities include building on its Under 11s and Under 13s teams to establish an Under 15s side next year, growing its All Stars and Dynamos age groups into softball competitions, and continuing to develop its Ladies team, including working towards a dedicated girls-only team, for which two more players are needed alongside the four girls currently playing in the junior sides. The club has also recently invested £600 in two Level 2 coaching qualifications to support its growing junior section, which it describes as "the lifeblood of our club."
