IT'S just not cricket. As the sport regains popularity this summer thanks to an epic Ashes struggle against the Australians, one of Worces-ter's best known teams has been banned from using its historic pavilion.

Members of Kays Cricket Club, who play on the Cinderella Ground in Bransford Road, must now change in a nearby bowls pavilion.

Health and safety officials have told the cricketers their picturesque black and white building, with its tier of steps and familiar clock is unfit for use.

"The pavilion's about 110 years old and we have known it was getting dodgy for a while," said club treasurer Alan Matthews. "Rumour has it that last year Kays put aside £25,000 for repairs, but they were never carried out.

"Then a couple of weeks into the start of this season health and safety officials suddenly arrived to carry out an inspection and told us we couldn't use it any longer.

"Instead we have to change in the bowls pavilion and although this is nearby, it doesn't have any showers and we can't prepare food for teas, everything has to arrive ready.

"It's just not the same as having your own cricket pavilion.

"At present Kays Cricket Club only turns out one team playing friendlies on a Sunday and while showers after cricket are refreshing, I suppose you could say they aren't essential.

"But I don't know what will happen when the football teams start playing there in the winter. I'd want a shower after a game of football."

The Cinderella Ground and its sports pavilion are among the best-known features on the Worcester sporting scene.

For many years the ground was the home of Worcester-shire County Cricket Club and WG Grace played there in the late 1800s.

The pavilion was paid for and erected by a member of Worcestershire CCC and the clock was co-incidentally purchased from Kays long before the firm had any connection with the site.

The land was once owned by JF Willis Ltd, shoe manufacturers, and the ground took its name from their Cinderella trade name.

In 1960, the Cinderella Works was finally taken over by Great Universal Stores, of which Kays was part, and the sports ground subsequently came under the care of the legendary groundsman Ollie Andrews, who maintained it in immaculate condition.

However, Ollie retired several years ago and Kays now belongs to the giant home shopping conglomerate Shop Direct, based in Manchester.

The current rumpus appears to centre on an unsu-ccessful planning application Shop Direct submitted to Worcester City Council for development on part of the Bransford Road site.

The gist was that if the application had been successful, the cricket pavilion would have been renovated.

As it was refused, the repairs remain undone.

"The application set out the details of the proposed improvements to the sports pavilion and proposed a new car park for the sports ground," said Shop Direct corporate communications director David Boardman.

"The proposed commercial and residential development left the sports ground untouched and would have helped to ensure its long term future use for the benefit of the local community.

"We are naturally disappointed the application has been turned down and we are currently preparing to lodge an appeal against this decision."

But conservationists are keen to see the cricket pavilion restored regardless of any commercial horse trading.

"It would be a great shame to lose a piece of Worcester's history for want of a little bit of money spent on it," said Will Scott, the city's principal conservation officer.

"I would suggest the Kays cricketers apply for a Lottery grant. After all, that's what it's all about."