Pembrokeshire cricketers have been bowled over by an upgrading to facilities.

Cricket facilities at Thornton Hall Sports Centre in Milford Haven have been much improved thanks to a partnership between Pembrokeshire County Council’s leisure and sports development departments, the Pembrokeshire Association of Cricket Coaches (PACC) and the Cricket Board of Wales (CBW).

The facility at Thornton is used by the county’s cricket coaches throughout spring and winter for a variety of sessions, including the delivery of Dragon Coaching Awards — designed to teach the game to children aged between eight and 16.

The facility is also well used by nearby clubs for pre-season training for both seniors and juniors.

Councillor Rob Lewis, cabinet member for sport and leisure, said the upgrade was a major boost for cricket in the county.

“It provides quality net facilities for both juniors and seniors to develop their game,” he said.

Matthew Freeman, cricket development officer for Sport Pembrokeshire — the sports development arm of Pembrokeshire County Council — added that the improved provision would lead directly to a better quality of coaching and net facilities for juniors throughout the county.

“It will particularly aid our regional junior squads, who make so much use of the facility during the pre-season,” he said. President of the PACC, Ray Kane, also welcomed the upgrade describing it as a tremendous boost to the association.

Improvements at Thornton include new full-length nets, as well as new matting and improved lighting in the hall. The majority of funding has come from an England and Wales cricket board facility grant as a result of the CBW including Pembrokeshire as a priority case. Pembrokeshire Leisure contributed the remaining 25%.