The official opening of Steeton Cricket Club’s £130,000 renovated pavilion on Sunday will be a proud occasion tinged with sadness.

The project, which has been five years in the making, will be dedicated to club president Tom Barritt, who died two weekends ago.

The ceremony will take place at noon – an hour before Steeton take on JCT600 Bradford League club Hanging Heaton in the first round of the ECB National Knockout.

Tom, who died aged 88, had been a dedicated servant to the Aire-Wharfe League club for many decades.

He was a former player and committee member, including stints as treasurer and chairman, and had been president since 1998.

Tom was also an instrumental figure in the development of junior cricket in the Aire Wharfe and Craven leagues.

Chairman John Akrigg said: “Steeton was like a family to him. He loved the club and was dedicated to it for 70-odd years and it is upsetting that he will not see the clubhouse transformed.

“However, there is a lovely plaque in his honour and it is fitting that we will be playing one of the best fixtures in a long time on the day."

The revamped clubhouse should secure the future of the club for generations to come.

Club treasurer Julian Higginson said: “We received £50,000 from Sport England’s inspired facilites grant Awards For All, £27,000 from landfill company Wren and £17,000 from another landfill company, Yorventure.

“We also provided £15,000 of our own money and got a £20,000 loan from the ECB.”

Higginson added: “We decided five years ago that we had to do something about our leaking roof but rather than just replace it, we decided to do much more than that.

“We have new changing rooms, including one for girls – two play for our third team – as well as a new roof, and we have a thriving junior section who will benefit from it.

“The clubhouse is used by a dance group, while the ground hosts a festival for South Craven primary schools, as well as Yorkshire Schools’ matches.”

The official opening will be attended by Keighley and Ilkley MP Kris Hopkins.

After that comes the match against Hanging Heaton. Higginson said: “They are a prominent Bradford League club and our skipper (Jon-athan Best) thought it would be a good thing to test ourselves against better opposition.”

Steeton received a preliminary round walkover against Skelmanthorpe.

* Tom Barritt’s funeral has been arranged for Friday, May 3 (10.45am) at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Silsden.