CRICKETERS were nearly stumped by the cost of utilities at their clubhouse, but now they have been bowled over by a free scheme to reduce their electricity bills.

Farnworth Cricket Club has a proud history, but now the future is secured after they rented out the clubhouse roof space for a solar array and investors are ensuring they pay no more than 6p per kilowatt hour for their electricity.

Before the 200-member strong Bolton League Club signed up for the 256 solar panels at their premises they were paying 11.5p per kilowatt hour – the savings over 25 years will be more than a quarter-of-a-million pounds – thanks to the deal with Cheshire-based Green Energy Commercial.

Club sponsor Martin Axford, who employs 70 people at Axford’s Timber Merchants, believes hitting the energy bills for six is an important factor for any team.

Martin reckons the projected £179,423 saving over 20 years that rises to £289,029 in the following five years will ensure the club’s future come rain or shine.

The saving in the final five years is greater as the deal with the investors will have run out.

Mr Axford said: “Though we’ve had a great past, we are always looking to the future. We have two senior teams playing in the Bolton League and three junior teams.

“Anyone in sport knows that utility bills can close clubs, but we are hoping to halve our energy bills."

Farnworth-based club chairman Phil Speak, 60, was told about the solar scheme by one of Green Energy Commercial’s field sales team Lewis Waddington, 65, another former Farnworth Cricket Club member.

Phil said: “I know saving £179,000 in electricity bills in 20 years almost sounds too good to be true, but we’ve seen the maths and it’s a legacy for Farnworth.”

Green Energy Commercial’s Lewis Waddington, who secured the solar deal with his colleague Derek Harding, 56, said: “These free fit solar arrays are fantastic for sports clubs, but also brilliant for ordinary businesses. It’s a win, win situation and you don’t get many of those in a cricket match let alone in life.

“It’s not cricket the way the big energy companies keep pushing their prices up, but the Government has announced some proposed changes, so sadly deals like this will probably only be on the table for the next few weeks as the Feed-In-Tariff is set to change on January 1st 2016, so we only really have probably about a month left to make it happen.

“Those who prevaricate will miss out and the future will feature the stick of increased taxes rather than the carrot of feed-in-tariff.’

Anyone wishing to inquire about possible free fit for their premises can go onto the website www.greenenergycommercial.com or email info@gecommercial.co.uk