PURTON'S cricketers have got it covered thanks to a generous £3,800 grant from the Landfill Communities Fund.

Purton Cricket Club, which is the oldest of its kind in Wiltshire, has splashed out on new mobile wicket covers to protect the playing area when it rains.

It means that even the worst of the British weather will not dampen the enthusiasm of Purton players young and old.

The total cost of the project was more than £5,000 and the club were only able to go ahead with the promise of a grant of £3,800 from the Landfill Communities Fund. Purton was able to access this fund as their ground is not far away from the Hills household waste recycling centre in the village.

“Our club coffers were about to take a massive hit. We knew we had to get new covers, but we didn’t know if we could really afford them,” said Phil Duffell, Purton’s 2nd XI captain and U15 coach, who took control of the bid.

“We always try our hardest to win cricket matches, but this is the best result we’ve had off the field for a few years.”

Purton have now done their own bit of recycling in return, passing their old covers on to another cricket club in the south of the county for repair and re-use.

Purton Cricket Club was founded in 1820 and has around 100 members, with senior men’s teams in the Wiltshire Division of the West of England Premier League.

The club also boasts a thriving junior section, with girls and boys playing in the Wiltshire Youth League at U9, U11, U13 and U15 level.