Professional darts player Mark “Flash” Dudbridge will be hosting a Bradley Stoke Cricket Club exhibition evening at the Bailey’s Court Activity Centre later this month.

Mark will be displaying his skills by playing all-comers in legs of 501 points in the Orchard Room at the centre on Friday, 19 September 2008.

If you fancy taking on the former Winmau World Masters Champion and 2005 PDC World Darts Championship runner-up then prospective challengers need to purchase a raffle ticket at a cost of £2-per-strip.

Nine lucky winners will play a frame against “Flash”. Tickets are available from the cricket club or by e-mailing Jez Denton at tarkatheblowpig@hotmail.com.

Bradley Stoke Cricket Club is celebrating after its first XI gained promotion to Division One of the Bristol and District League.

Captain Adam Davis has led the team to a fantastic 11 victories with just three losses and three games cancelled or abandoned.

“After relegation last season the clubs aim was to bounce back into Division One at the first attempt which we have achieved,” Davis said.

“We have also been able to bring in some new players and promote youth players such as Joe Coles who have fitted in and contributed to our success really well.”

Coles has been a find of the season with the 14-year-old taking 5-26 last Saturday (23 August) with his first bowl for the first team against Barrow Gurney CC in a 112 run victory.

Bradley Stoke’s second XI, led by Nick English, has not faired so well with only two wins with one game left.

But the third XI, led by Mike Mundy, has had a creditable season with a third place finish only missing out on promotion by 0.3 points.

For anybody wishing to play cricket in 2009, either youth or senior, can contact the club through the club website on www.bradleystokecc.co.uk

A concrete roller has been used to damage safety netting at Bailey’s Court in a series of vandalism incidents, The Bradley Stoke Examiner has learned.

The 11mx7m netting was put up to protect people and cars in the play area and car park but vandals have repeatedly tried to pull it down.

The netting was put up shortly after the Bailey’s Court extension was complete but “as soon as the ropes were put on, they were just as soon pulled down again by those less keen on our good intentions”, a cricket club spokesman told us.

Bradley Stoke Cricket Club then tried to tie the netting half way up the posts but vandals struck again when they tied the ropes to trees and attempted to burn other ropes.

But the most shocking incident saw vandals unhook some the ropes and try to pull the netting down with a concrete roller.

“One morning we found that again someone had climbed up a number of the posts to untie the ropes and this time wanted to pull all the netting down.

“As it seems they had insufficient strength to do this themselves, they tied a number of the ropes to a concrete roller and then pushed this into the middle of the pitch, tearing down a number of the brackets and netting.”

So far, the repairs have cost the club £400 and is “money that [the club] can ill afford and would much rather spend on progress”.