A CRICKET Club’s £200,000 renovation work following the Boxing Day 2015 floods has impressed visitors from New Zealand.

Tong Park Esholt Cricket Club fell victim to the Storm Eva floods after the River Aire burst its banks, sweeping caravans from the adjacent field onto the cricket ground, and leaving three feet of standing water on the pitch.

The damage led to changing rooms needing to be gutted, the total refit of the club steward’s flat and umpire changing rooms, practice nets being destroyed and sight screens and scoreboards being wrecked.

The club’s outfield and wicket was damaged by caravans being dragged across by the force of water, and boundary fencing and seating was destroyed.

Scott Mehrtens, a New Zealand-based tour operator, visited the site weeks after the floods and again last summer – and was impressed by the way in which the club had bounced back.

Mr Mehrtens, who works for Leisure Time Tours/Travel Time South Pacific, in Hamilton, said in a letter to the Telegraph & Argus: “In early 2016, I was appalled by the damage done to Esholt and being a cricket fan, it broke my heart seeing the state of the Tong Park Esholt cricket ground.

“We have been again and I had to go down to the cricket ground to see what progress had been made.

“Wow – it looks fantastic. I really appreciate all the hard work to bring it back to this standard.

“Well done to all for bringing triumph from the brink of tragedy.

“We frequently visit Esholt village during our travels.”

The work was funded via a grant of £170,000 from the England and Wales Cricket Board, with remaining funds coming from sources including Sport England, Yorkshire Cricket Board, insurance payouts and Bradford Council.

David Young, Tong Park Esholt Cricket Club treasurer, said he was grateful for Mr Mehrtens’s tribute.

He said of the damage to the Meadowside Road, Baildon, club: “It was horrendous. All of the work is done now but it will take 12 months for all of our pitches to get back to how they were before the floods.

“It has been a difficult two years not playing at home. We played half of our home fixtures last season, but will be back to normal next season.

“It feels very good to get that praise from Scott. He has relatives who play for us, so he is a friend of the club.”