Sunshine Cricket Club is celebrating news that new multi-purpose training nets have been funded.
A new synthetic training space at the club’s Dempster Park ground will replace the old turf nets. Cricket Victoria will contribute $100,000 to the re-build and Brimbank council will make up the balance of the $232,000 project.
The club has been training on outdated infrastructure for a number of years. Vice-president Michael Bezzina said the new nets had the potential to transform the club.
“It will give us the best, state-of-the-art facilities in the area,” Mr Bezzina said. “We already probably have the best centre wicket in the western suburbs, and soon we’ll have the nets to match it.
“It will make it a lot easier for us to sell the club to potential players, and especially juniors.”
The new facility will act as a multi-purpose space, with the 30-metre square synthetic area to have line markings for soccer and volleyball, as well as four lanes of cricket nets.
Mr Bezzina said while the final design has not been announced yet, they are hoping to get retractable nets that allow more flexibility in how the surface can be used.
Brimbank mayor John Hedditch said the upgrade would have wide-reaching benefits for the community.
“By upgrading the training nets, the Sunshine Cricket Club and wider community will have access to a high quality practice facility with an increased number of nets, and an additional area allowing for warm-ups and fielding practice,” he said.
“The facility will also be of use to local schools.”
Construction is expected to begin in the new financial year.
Meantime, the club is hoping to have use of the nets before next season begins.
