WHERE IS THE CRICKET GROUND ?

By Brian Sanderson,

To-day I set of with Ron Stansfield to see the final of the County Seconds One Final between Nottingham and Lancashire.The ground was a new one to me at Welbeck Colliery which has been open for about five years and I had been to the old ground some years ago.

The system I use to find the ground was to google  Welbeck Colliery C.C. and find the direction from their web-site.Then I use the A.A. Route  site to find the ground from my house.However on this occasion I could not find the ground and after talking to a Postman he sent be to-wards Welbeck but the ground is not in Welbeck.After driving round in circle I called into a Sport Centre in Sherbrook which is the village were the ground is.Of course they did not know that there was a cricket match happening in the area but after discussions they thought it was at John Fretwell Sporting Centre. and give me directions.

So after forty-five monutes driving around we saw the ground and cricketers practising.I was met by a local who confirmed it was very hard to find even with a sat-nav.It turns out that John Fretwell who was at the match had built the ground from a mining area.It is a impreessive pavilion with a large cricket ground and football pitches.

The above photograph shows the pavilion and a large clock.Lancashire batted first and lost Karl Brown to a brillant catch by the Notts Wicket-keeper Cross.As it happen the Lancashire wicket-keeper is called Cross.
About 1.15 the rain came  which forced us to go home as there was no chance of anymore play.

They will play again to-morrow and carry on the match.I only hope that any new spectators have been to the ground before or they could miss the finish of the match trying to find the ground.

I do wish cricket clubs would put up signs  to give directions and give supporters a clue were they are playing. Above is the  final view of the ground with it raining and covers covering the pitch.