MORE than 400 people attended the official opening of Olicanian Cricket Club pavilion on Sunday nearly three years on from a fire which saw the club burned to the ground by arsonists.

The club, in Denton Road, Ilkley, quickly submitted plans for a replacement which took around 15 months to build at cost more than half a million pounds.

And after the long rebuilding project, the new clubhouse was finally opened on Sunday, May 22 by former Yorkshire and England bowler, Ryan Sidebottom.

The open day saw an Olicanian Select XI, captained by Tom Smallwood and featuring the bowling of Sidebottom, competing against a team of overseas players from across the Airedale and Wharfedale League, with the winners lifting the Olicanian Ashes - two charred bails rescued from the wreckage of the pavilion and mounted in oak and glass by local cabinet maker, Brent Thompson.

The Ashes was won by The Aire-Wharfe Invitation XI, captained by Olicanian’s overseas player Ryan Morley.

The open day also featured Otley Brass Band who entertained the crowd before play commenced and, again, during the tea interval.

Olicanian club president Mick Christopher said: “It was a wonderful day - the culmination of almost three years of hard slog to recover from something that ripped the guts out of the club. It was also a bitter sweet occasion as we remembered our former chairman David House and main sponsor Tony Jefferies who sadly died during the winter. Both them would have loved the day.

“The pavilion looks magnificent and we would like to thank all those who attended from other clubs and from the Ilkley area and beyond, especially Ryan Sidebottom who cut the ribbon for us."

Among the guests was Keighley and Ilkley MP Robbie Moore who said: "It was absolutely brilliant to attend the opening of the brand new pavilion which looks absolutely fantastic.

"The Olicanian Cricket Club has done a superb job in bringing their pavilion back to life with an awesome design. A huge well done to all volunteers who have worked tirelessly on the rebuild over several years, especially Bill Horsley, an Ilkley based architect and Nick Kenyon, the main building contractor from Addingham who have gone above and beyond in providing their own time to the Club to get the design and building works done.

"Well done indeed to all involved."