Cash strapped Batley-based cricket club under threat as it can't accept Lottery-funded donations

Mount Cricket Club has plans for a £2million upgrade to its facilities but the plans may be scuppered because it refuses to accept gambling-funded donations.

Sport England gives grants to clubs looking to improve its facilities, but the money is funded by the National Lottery.

The club in Batley, which has earned praise for its work in its local community, claims it faces an uncertain future due to the lack of alternative funding sources.

Abdul Ravat, a spokesman for the club, has called for the government to review how it allocates funding for sports and youth clubs on a more ethical basis.

He said the club, which hosts food banks, works with local schools and seeks to bring communities together, will not be able to sustain its work at its current levels of funding.

Abdul said: "The problem we'll have is that we want to be able to serve our community in the ways we want to, but how can we do that if we can't fund it?

"You won't find a club more ingrained in its community than us.

"We are on the front line in terms of fighting obesity and tackling isolation and mental health issues.

"We're a sports club, but we are the heart of our community.

"We get youngsters in at the club and we want them to be good role models in the community.

"We've had children come through the doors at four and play cricket, yes, but more importantly they have been good people.

"When our youngsters turn 18 and go to university, we're just as proud of that as we are anything on the cricket pitch."

The club is open to players from all faiths and backgrounds, but due to the demographics of its area is made up of mainly Muslim players.

As such, the club refuses to accept money that is funding by the gambling industry.

Abdul added: "We don't believe in gambling, it's as simple as that.

"So we made the decision a long time ago to not receive funding from sources that involve gambling.

"We know we're not the only club that feels this way, there's other clubs out there, not just from the Muslim faith.

"It's an ethical decision we took, but it leaves us with a disparity."

The club has launched a campaign, supported by Batley and Spen MP Tracy Brabin, calling on the government to "level the playing field" when it comes to funding an investment.

Abdul added: "We want to know what can be done at the upcoming spending review, but we also don't want the ECB to wait for changes to legislation - what can we do now?

"We've been going for 43 years and have survived on support from the community, subscriptions from our players and donations from the local council.

"The big issue for us for the last decade or so is that we've been in a period of growth and engagement in the community that extends into areas beyond cricket.

"We work with schools, disabled children, we bring many people together in the community.

"To do all that is a major challenge for us.

"We have a £2million project on the table, but that money has to come from Sport England and that is lottery-funded, which is the problem for us.

"It's a vicious circle.

"We are always at risk of arson attacks or damage from anti-social behaviour and when that happens, we have to fund the repairs from our own pocket.

"We're not saying we want any special treatment, what we're saying there is a disparity between us and other clubs.

"Clubs that are under threat of flooding quite rightly receive funding to sure up their flood defences.

"If we were in that position, we wouldn't be able to receive a penny because it's lottery-funded and we wouldn't stand a chance."

Abdul believes clubs like Mount should be eligible for more funding directly from the government from other sources.

He added: "The ex-chancellor Sajid Javid had this idea to boost youth centres with a £500million fund.

"The truth is that youth centres have seen massive cuts over the last 10 years due to austerity.

"What I'd say is that money would be better being sent into the clubs already in existence."