Hornsey Cricket Club is celebrating a brand new partnership with blind cricket team Metro Blind Sports to improve and expand facilities for disability sports in North London.

With four England players and a 50-year track record of wins, Metro is one of the country’s most successful blind and visually impaired cricket teams.

Until now, their home ground has been at Highgate Woods, with no pavilion nor dedicated cricket facilities. But Hornsey saw them in action and suggested a partnership, with full access to the club’s facilities in Tivoli Road, Crouch End.

The teams sealed their partnership with a game of blind and visually impaired cricket at the weekend - with the sighted players wearing special glasses to simulate degrees of visual impairment.

Hornsey CC got off to a strong start with James Chappell, playing with peripheral vision glasses, knocking three boundaries in the first over.

But Metro then pulled out their England batters and the only thing then in doubt was whether the glass windows to the Hornsey clubhouse would survive his consecutive sixes!

In the end Metro thrashed Hornsey, but the teams all agreed it was a fascinating experience.

Hornsey Club President Chris Waite said: "We are absolutely delighted to be partnering with Metro Blind Sports. We have already seen them train at our Tivoli Road club. Their professionalism and dedication is inspiring to all of us and we look forward to getting to know these fabulous players better."

Metro Chair and cricket regular Andy Law added: "We're thrilled about this partnership. The facilities we have already used are fantastic and are greatly enhancing our training. We couldn't have had a warmer welcome.

"The launch took place in a vibrant and friendly atmosphere, with all Metro members remarking on how open and curious everyone was. Such surroundings are really encouraging for new members and I'm confident they will cause beginners to return for that crucial second time."