Dornoch Cricket Club are hoping to return to competitive action next year after reforming following a 17-year absence.
The club was dissolved in 2005, after a shortage of players coming through forced them to withdraw from the North of Scotland reserve league eight years previously.
A recent push by local parents to reinstate cricket in the town has proven successful, with training sessions on Wednesdays now attracting more than 50 children each week.
Grant money of around £20,000 has allowed the club to develop their facilities at the Meadows, which has allowed Dornoch to compete in friendly matches against Ross County and Northern Counties in recent weeks.
Matt Millward, a level two ECB qualified cricket coach, along with Royal Dornoch golf club professional Gary Dingwall and David Diracles, have been the driving force in the resurrection of the club.
Millward has been thrilled with the response from young players in recent weeks.
He said: “The coaching at the school was well-received so we got the ball rolling with it.
“We have put a new wicket down at the Meadows, as well as batting cages and nets.
“The kids are very enthusiastic and a lot of the parents are grateful as well. Some of them are keen to give it a go as well.
“We have had friendlies against Northern Counties and Ross County, where we have manufactured the matches to suit the age levels.
“In the next three Saturdays we will have an inter-club friendly, as well as return fixtures against Ross County and Northern Counties.
“We are hoping to go a bit further afield. We have touched base with Nairn, Elgin and Forres and a team in Wick about maybe having a mini cricket festival at the end of the summer holidays.”
Dornoch aim to play senior cricket competitively next year
Efforts are also under way to attract adult cricketers, with the first training session being held on Tuesday at 6.30pm.
Millward harbours the ambition of competing in the North of Scotland league next season, where the club competed for six seasons in the 1990s, winning the reserve league title in their debut campaign in 1991.
He added: “There is a guy in Portmahomack who used to play in the Sussex league, and a guy in Golspie who also used to play down south.
“There is no cricket for them up here, so they were very excited there was something in the pipeline for them.
“We will get a couple of friendlies organised for the seniors, and the plan is then to play in the North of Scotland league next year.
“It’s promising, and it’s the start of something that’s hopefully going to go far in the long term.”
