WEYMOUTH is set to get the area's first top class nets after the town's Cricket club qualified for a grant of up to £50,000 from the National Lottery.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) selected the Seasiders as one of only two sides in Dorset to benefit from the cash which will be spent on grass nets at Redlands for coaching and practice and artificial tracks at the adjacent Wey Valley School.

Seasiders' skipper and head coach Hugh Lawes today described news of the grant as "absolutely brilliant".

"The ECB have shown their faith in Weymouth Cricket Club and we are very proud to get on the short list," he said. "Bournemouth was the only other club in Dorset to be

chosen and there are only two in Hampshire.

"Now we have got to get our package together to show how we will use the money, but I am confident our scheme will meet with their approval because these facilities are badly needed in this area.

"If we use the whole £50,000 we would have to raise something like £2,500 ourselves, but we don't see that as a problem."

County ECB Development Officer Keith Brewer said Dorchester Cricket Club, who have plans for new nets, covers and an electronic scoreboard at the Rec, had been placed on the ECB's reserve list. That means they can tap into any unused cash from the £9.2m earmarked by the National Lottery for the development of club facilities in four main sports over the next three years.

Bridport and Beaminster were also put forward for grants, however, both their applications were unsuccessful.

"Of course we would have liked more money to come to Dorset clubs, but Weymouth were always one of our priorities because we would like to use the site as a district and county coaching centre which would then give us one at each end of the county," Brewer added.

"The town has several areas listed on the Index of Multiple Deprivation which also improved their chances of qualifying for a grant."

Weymouth's next step was to send representatives to a seminar later this month where they will be told exactly what they can apply for and be given the specifications they have to work to.

"Then they must get their detailed project in by January so that work can commence in the Spring," he said.