FORMER England Ashes winning captain Mike Gatting was at Ipswich Cricket Club to lend a hand with a “Groundforce meets Changing Rooms” style makeover. Around 200 volunteers also turned out for the three day transformation at Clay Hall, Copdock - part of the ECB's NatWest Cricketforce scheme, which finished yesterday.

Nick Garnham

FORMER England Ashes winning captain Mike Gatting was at Ipswich Cricket Club to lend a hand with a “Groundforce meets Changing Rooms” style makeover.

Around 200 volunteers also turned out for the three day transformation at Clay Hall, Copdock - part of the ECB's NatWest Cricketforce scheme, which finished yesterday.

Gatting, who is now managing director of cricket partnerships at the ECB, was getting stuck in to help lay paving around a barbecue.

He was joined by Sussex and England one-day and Twenty20 international Luke Wright, who was painting a gate.

Wright was a late replacement for England all-rounder Graeme Swann, who was unable to attend due to his rehabilitation programme following surgery on an elbow after England's recent Test series in the West Indies.

Also in attendance were Ipswich MP Chris Mole and former Suffolk cricket captain Phil Caley plus NatWest and ECB officials, who brought the NatWest Roadshow with them, where the club's junior members were able to show off their skills.

Around 20 companies supported Ipswich CC by donating materials either free of charge or at discounted prices to enable the club to carry out 15 projects.

These included a new scorebox and electronic scoreboard, a new barbecue, new decking area and fencing around various part of the ground.

Linda Norton, chairman of the club's sub-committee set up to oversee the project, said: “The weather has been kind to us, and over 100 people have turned up today alone, which is more than I expected.

“The day has been a fantastic success and I am proud of everyone who has got involved.”

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