Cricket club celebrates 200 years by raising £200k

A cricket club that boasts star players including William Gilbert Grace (known as WG) and Sir Vivian Richards is celebrating its 200th year.

To commemorate the occasion, members of Lansdown Cricket Club in Bath are trying to raise £200,000 for local charities with an epic bike ride.

Eighteen riders will complete an 850km (528-mile) cycle to every test cricket ground in England – within just four days.

They set off from Durham on 26 May and will finish at their club house in Combe Park, Bath, on the evening of 30 May.

One of the cyclists, Jonathan Green, said preparing for the ride has been "all about making sure we're used to spending hours in the saddle".

Their longest day is going to be around 210km (130.4 miles), he said, which will take up to 12 hours.

"So, it's about building up resistance and making sure we have that endurance in our heart and lungs," he added.

A support team of six is helping the riders with stays, nutrition and rest stops.

The club hopes to raise £200,000 by the end of the year, with Dorothy House Hospice Care a key recipient.

Rob Maggs, who is cycling with the group, said Dorothy's House was very close to his heart after the team there cared for his wife Jess.

"Unfortunately my wife passed away from melanoma in November and was supported massively by Dorothy's House, and me and my family continue to be supported by them," he said.

The team is also fundraising for Royal United Hospitals Bath and will provide funds to support cricket in state schools in the city.

Scott Longstaff, chairman of Lansdown Cricket Club, said there was a lack of provision of cricket in state schools and it was important to change that.

"The game is a really valuable sport for bringing teams together and offering children a bit of self-confidence," he said.

Speaking about the club's history, Mr Longstaff said there have been tales of rivalry and riots on the pitch ever since it was founded in 1825.

WG, who is one of the sport's most renowned players, "played here for well over a decade", he said.

Other historic highlights include the grounds becoming a war hospital covered in tents, then post-war becoming a safe space for the community to enjoy and "regain a bit of morale".

He said the 50s, 60s and 70s were the "glory years", with Sir Viv playing his first overseas stint at the club in 1973 while qualifying for Somerset.

In 1952, the club hosted the first match played by a Pakistani side in England.

The team of Pakistan Eaglets included seven future Pakistan test cricketers including the great Hanif Mohammad.

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