The new cricket facilities at Murrumburrah Public School, including the pitch and nets upgrade, has been set a completion timeframe. The upgrades were instigated by both Harden senior and junior cricket, highlighting the need for improved cricket match and practice facilities.
Kelvin Brown, of Harden Hornets Cricket, told The Times of the construction timeframe of the facilities and the progress. “What we had to do was raise $85,000 in funding, which took about 12 months to do,” Kelvin said. “We got $30,000 out of Cricket Australia, $25,000 from Kruger, $15,000 from the New South Wales State Government, and $5000 from the local council for a grant. “But for every grant we got, we had two or three knocked back as well. So, it took a while for that $85,000 to come together.”
The contract for the development upgrades was given to Gabba Sports for them to undertake. “They came on Monday last week, so the concrete for the pitch and the practice wickets has now been laid,” Kelvin continued. “On the 22nd of November its scheduled for them to come back to put the netting up on the practice nets. “Then about a week after that they’ll come back and lay the synthetic pitch and mark the lines.”
Murrumburrah Public School will host an official opening of the facilities once they are completed. The school is planning to host the cricket upgrades opening during school hours, likely to be a Friday, where students will be able to get first use of the facilities. It is hopeful that there will be some officials from Cricket NSW at the opening of the facilities to attend and run a junior cricket clinic. The school and wider cricketing community will have full access to the facilities to participate in the sport. Tim Warren
