A vision holding out the prospect of more first class cricket at The Rec has been outlined to local sports supporters.

The AGM of the Bath and Wiltshire area committee of Somerset County Cricket Club was brought up to date with the latest thinking from the trustees of the Recreation Ground.

Chairman Councillor Chris Watt has been putting the finishing touches to a document to be sent to the Charity Commission looking at future uses of the charitable land.

He told the meeting: "There are lots of challenges ahead, but, in my opinion, none of them are insurmountable. For nearly three decades we've had first class rugby to attend. Why shouldn't we have first class cricket too?"

While he was reluctant to go into the details of all the issues still to be resolved, he said there was general agreement that a lack of active management meant that the playing facilities for all sports on the Rec had not been upgraded.

As a first step, with the support and co-operation of Bath Rugby, Somerset County Cricket Club, the Lords ground team and Bath and North-East Somerset Council staff, a new batting pitch has been laid on the east stand touchline of the rugby field.

Eventually, once this new pitch has bedded-in, it will be possible to move the current cricket facilities on the Rec towards the west, allowing both sports to use the facilities of Bath Rugby.

Mr Watt said by moving cricket over, other societies would be able to make use of the rest of The Rec. Already there had been approaches to play volleyball and the form of boules known as petanque.

This would not affect the 2010 Bath Cricket Festival 40-over match between Somerset and Worcestershire, which would be played on the usual pitch on the east side of The Rec on Sunday, May 23.

Mr Watt said: "While the new pitch on the touchline of the rugby field is bedding in, there is scope to play a Twenty20 invitation match on a Friday evening as an extra attraction. We're setting our sights on, eventually, attracting women's international cricket, as well as staging county level, and junior and schools cricket, and who knows where you go from there?"

In answer to a question, Mr Watt said to make the Rec viable, it would need to have the kind of facilities that would attract activities for 365 days a year. At present Bath Rugby fixtures accounted for 18 days a year, and as an indicator of what was possible, Somerset County Cricket fixtures at Taunton filled about 50 days a year.

In his address to the meeting, the chief executive of Somerset County Cricket Club, Richard Gould, summarised the club's many achievements in 2009, including hosting the Women's Twenty20 World Cup - which England won, Somerset reaching the final of the Pro40 Division 1 championship, and finishing third in the Division 1 County championship league.

He said: "Our focus in 2010 is to compete in all forms of cricket at the highest level, to develop and nurture young talent, to support the new captain, to continue to improve our facilities and develop additional income streams, and to continue to provide a first-class customer experience."