BUILDING work has started on a new cricket clubhouse in Odiham – but the club needs more money to finish the job.

One year ago, the clubhouse at Odiham and Greywell Cricket Club went up in flames after burglars tried to open a safe with an angle grinder.

Club members have since gained planning permission for a replacement building, and the foundations have now been laid.

Doing the job were twin brothers Andrew and Nigel Green, who have both played for the cricket club.

Shelagh Thomas, club secretary, told The Gazette: “They have been local builders for a long, long time and have been connected with the club in all sorts of ways.

“It is good that they have been sub-contracted for the work because it is keeping it local and using the skills we knew we had in our membership.

“It’s also brilliant to see the club back like a phoenix rising from the ashes.”

The work on the £250,000 building, carried out by Four Marks-based builder D W King, is expected to be completed before the start of the new season, at the beginning of May.

But the club still needs to raise £50,000 to complete the internal furnishing of the bar.

Fundraising so far has included £50,000 from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and £32,500 from RAF Odiham, who use the club’s ground.

The ECB has also promised a further £50,000 interest-free loan.

But Mrs Thomas said: “We would rather not have to take a loan because to pay it back would be quite difficult with our income stream at the moment.

“Members have done a lot of fundraising themselves but it has been bitty and we could do with another injection of cash.”

To donate, call Mrs Thomas on 01256 703159, or Jason Cross, fundraising manager, on 01256 702083.