The club hoped to start work on a plush new pavilion by September this year when the Coalboard Regeneration Trust told the club it could no longer afford the £250,000 they hoped for.

The cricketers have been told the Trust's budget would allow a grant of only half that amount.

The Trust have already given the club £10,000 to acquire planning permission and have architect designed plans drawn up to scale.

Upper Haugh chairman Stephen Sigsworth, said: "It was a huge shock. You don't expect the knock-back once an organisation has given you £10,000 to get your plans to the starting block.

"To apply for the grant in the first place we had to fill in up to 40 pages of forms – it was no easy task. Now we've got to start all over again. We're applying for help from Sport England, among other potential investors."

The long awaited new pavilion will include a kitchen and clubhouse to be used for all kinds of functions, and with facilities for the myriad of clubs that meet at Upper Haugh, including football sides.

Mr Sigsworth added: "I've approached Wentworth MP John Healey, who has promised to look in to any possible funding sources for us. It's possible we may have to downscale the plans but we'll try every other avenue first."

Cricket runs seven days a week at Upper Haugh during the summer months, also attracting junior players from the ages of seven to 17.