Horsham uses grant for new turf wicket

Over the past year, the Horsham Saints started their turf wicket project, gaining soil from Merri Creek, transferring it from Punt Road to Horsham and laying it at the club.

With the assistance of Cricket Victoria’s new Strategic Grants Fund, the club has recovered some of their costs and will now look to purchase covers for the wicket along with a roller.

Contributing $8,000 to the $50,000 project, the grant gives the club an opportunity to continue developing its cricketers, across all levels, on a turf wicket.

“The best way to play cricket is on a turf wicket,” Horsham Saints Cricket Club’s turf project leader Craig Klemm said.

“For us as a club, we really want our juniors to play on turf.”

Having strong participation numbers in four grades of cricket and in the junior competition, the Saints decided that they needed a turf wicket to continue strengthening their club.

“Ten years ago we were struggling and now to have this project is just great,” Horsham Saints Cricket Club’s president Tim Lannen said.

With limited opportunities to play on a turf wicket, Horsham allows for junior cricketers to familiarise themselves with the wicket as well as giving other clubs in the region a chance to play on it.

“All grades that play with us will have the chance to play on a turf wicket,” Klemm said.

Along with Cricket Victoria, the Horsham City Council, Horsham’s Sport and Community Club and the club’s own volunteers have all contributed to the project.

“We are all very excited,” Lannen said.

The Saints will now wait until early October to officially test out their new turf wickets in the opening round of the season.

Twenty-seven Victorian Clubs, Associations and Region Committees were successful applicants for the Strategic Grants Fund, with each application promoting cricket initiatives in line with Cricket Victoria’s 2012-15 Strategy for Victorian Cricket.