MARTON Village Cricket Club has scored 500 not out after winning a community competition run by Warwickshire-based fuel company Rix Petroleum.
The sports team, which plays at Marton Playing Fields, Louisa Ward Close, triumphed in the company’s We Care competition to win a prize of their own choice to the value of £500.
The contest was aimed at helping out charities and community groups and invited local people to vote for their favourite cause by ‘liking’ them on the social media website Facebook.
The winner was the cause that attracted the most ‘likes’ across the duration of the contest, which ran for several weeks between April and July.
Michael Atkin, Marton Village Cricket Club treasurer, said he was surprised and delighted to win the prize, which had come at a very convenient time.
He said: “We are always trying to think of new ways to raise funds for the club so decided we may as well take part in the competition. But we didn’t have any kind of strategy, it was just a question of give it a try and see what happens.
“We were pleased when we found out we had won. We need a new wicket mower and a contribution towards new nets so it has come just at the right time.”
Marton Village Cricket Club was reformed in 1984 after a previous lapse due to a lack of support and plays Sunday afternoon matches against other local teams.
It also plays an annual ‘Ashes’ battle with neighbouring village Birdingbury as part of their festival of cricket, which is followed by a barbeque.
Paul Doherty, director at Coleshill-based Rix Petroleum, said he was delighted for Marton Village Cricket Club.
He said: “The village cricket team has always been a British institution but nowadays it faces competition from a whole host of other activities when trying to attract new members.
“We’re really pleased to be able to help Marton Village Cricket Club buy the new equipment it needs as this is precisely the type of project our We Care competition was set up to support.
“I hope the prize enables them all to have a fantastic season’s sport.”
