LAST Saturday saw Worcestershire CCC's entire squad turn out in force to help local clubs with their renovations and refurbishments for the biggest cricketing initiative in England and Wales.

David Leatherdale and Daryl Mitchell headed over to 98-year-old family orientated Ashton-under-Hill from the Cotswold Hills League who had set themselves a major project for the weekend and joined ranks with plenty of local businesses.

Graham Williams, a local ground worker, gave his time for the whole day free of charge to lay out paving for the artificial nets.

Two current players and one former member sorted out the jigsaw puzzle that is the netting for the permanent nets to make sure they were up and running ready for pre-season training.

WW and MW Carpentry also gave their time free of charge to help create some extra storage space under the seats in the dressing room.

Brothers Bill and Martin Wilson heard about the event and wanted to help.

"We got told about Natwest CricketForce weekend and we really wanted to do something to help. So we committed our time and materials and hope to do something to help improve Ashton and to give them somewhere to store all their equipment."

The main plans for the weekend were to improve the net area and practice wicket; paint the club to improve the overall appearance and create some welcome extra storage for all the equipment.

The renovations weren't all solely cricket based. In the kitchen, the ladies had a massive clear out throwing away chipped crockery and some unidentifiable objects!

Tea lady Jane Keen reiterates the idea that the club is most definitely a family orientated club as she is both a mum of a cricketer and a wife of an ex-cricketer and the head groundsman.

During the season she is a member of a team of ladies who keep the pavilion neat and tidy and provide the teas on match days.

Lynsey Barnett helped to point the slabs around the back of the pavilion, a necessary task and great for him as he helped to build the pavilion 16 years ago.

Dominic Capaldi, the driving force behind the weekend, had managed to secure the services of B & Q and Elliott & Sons for the plant hire, stone and sand, Count Building supplies for the mini digger, sand, stone, cement and slabs and MW and WW for their time and materials thinks Natwest CricketForce is a great initiative,

"I think it's a great idea to get the players and everybody involved right from the start of the season," he declared.

"It gives them a good idea as to what goes on in the club to keep it running on a day to day basis and as they are involved initially it might make them a bit more forthcoming in helping in the future. I think it makes them appreciate the running and maintenance of a cricket club much more."