Diss Cricket Club is among 148 local sports projects to secure a share of £20 million of National Lottery funding from Sport England's Inspired Facilities fund.

Since 2011, Inspired Facilities has been helping breathe new life into community sports facilities and converting existing buildings into venues suitable for grassroots sport.

Diss Cricket Club has officially opened its new £30,000 two bay net facility with mayor Julian Mason and Mike Banham from the Norfolk Cricket Board doing the honours.

The club, which celebrated its 150th birthday in 2013, has worked hard over the past three years to secure funding from a variety of sources including Sport England, South Norfolk District Council and the Geoffrey Watling Charity. Based in the heart of the town at The Rectory Meadow the facilities will help local children learn the game and senior players to practice their skills. The new nets include double full size batting wickets with four metre high cage frames, enclosed batting ends and woven lines in the artificial grass surface to help aid bowling accuracy.

Club chairman Martin Fairweather said: 'We are delighted to have secured this investment, which has allowed us to install the best cricket net facilities within a 20 mile radius. The majority of our first team players were coached through the junior levels at this club and this new facility will benefit the next generation in our local community for many years to come.'

On Saturday Rob Tooke was in superb form as Diss took on champions Downham in their latest Norfolk Alliance match, which was sadly curtailed by the weather.

Tooke scored an unbeaten 125 as Diss made 215 for five. Downham were left stranded on 87 for two when the intermittent rain finally forced the teams to call it a day.

Old Buckenham's match also had an early finish, although the weather might well have saved them from defeat at the hands of Stow.

The Bucks were dismissed for just 132 and they had Stow 13 for one at the premature close.

On Saturday Diss travel to Sprowston while Old Buckenham are at home to Fakenham.

In Division Two Hethersett and Tas Valley's scheduled fixture against Saham Toney was called off without a ball being bowled.

Valley are away to leaders Thetford on Saturday.