Glamorgan Cricket: Coach Matthew Maynard starts work on memorial nets

Glamorgan coach Matthew Maynard has launched work on a family net area at the club's Sophia Gardens headquarters in memory of his late son Tom.

He raised more than 23,000 pounds by walking 350 kilometres from Cardiff to Colwyn Bay in wellington boots, dubbed the "Wellyman Walking" Challenge.

Tom Maynard, who played for Glamorgan and Surrey, died in an accident in 2012, aged just 23.

The nets are the final major project for the Tom Maynard Trust.

Matthew Maynard set up the charity to help support young cricketers with career development, including bursaries, help with training and education, and finance for overseas placements.

But he wanted a physical legacy as well, with construction of the nets and artificial surface under way in the large grassy area to the rear of Glamorgan's pavilion and offices building.

"The trust will have been going for ten years next year (2022) and Wellyman Walking was to raise funds as a legacy for Tom," Maynard told BBC Sport Wales.

"It's going to be a four-lane net area for families and children to use when Glamorgan are playing here, and will be up and running in time for next summer/

"Since the ground has been redeveloped, it lost an area for children to play so the idea was that as we wind the Trust up, it would be nice to leave a legacy in Tom's name and the club kindly agreed to share this project, so I'm absolutely delighted the fund raised exceeded the£20,000 required."

Maynard completed his marathon effort in 12 days in October, scaling the peaks of Pen y Fan, Snowdon and Cadair Idris along the way.

"My feet weren't too bad since I changed my socks a lot, the wellies were brilliant and I managed to get through it with company on six days, and six days on my own," he said.

"Tom came to mind a lot on the walk and helped drive me along."