Past and present players turned out yesterday to mark the end of an era at a cricket club in Bury St Edmunds.

The pavilion at the Victory Sports Ground, which has stood on the site since its opening in 1921, was used for the final time.

About 250 past and present players, officials and supporters of the club came along to mark the closure of the structure.

As well as a ceremonial closing of the pavilion using a large “closed” sign, a series of matches were held involving past and present players.

Former players returned to the club from all over the country, with Andy Kizis travelling all the way from Holland.

A brand new pavilion and adjoining sports hall are due to be completed in November at a cost of £2.1million.

Paul Whittaker, chairman of Bury St Edmunds Cricket Club, believes the club is now ideally placed to become the leading cricket club in East Anglia. Mr Whittaker, who along with club president David Barker has been the driving force behind the building of the new facilities, said: “The closure of the old pavilion and opening of the new one heralds the start of a new era for Bury St Edmunds CC. The club is ideally placed to become East Anglia’s leading club and setting new standards for men’s, ladies’, girls’ and boys’ cricket facilities.

“It’s fitting that Suffolk’s finest cricket ground also has a pavilion to match so, sad as it is to say goodbye to the old pavilion, let’s celebrate the fantastic facilities now available. The old pavilion will be demolished during the close season and replaced with additional parking needed for the new pavilion and sports hall that opens this autumn.”

Visitors were allowed a sneak preview of the new facilities.

Bury St Edmunds CC, which has been one of the leading clubs in Suffolk for many years, secured its status in the Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League for next season on Saturday.