Before
After

Cricket practice facility upgrade

Some 12 years ago, Lowerhouse Cricket Club invested in a new, 6-lane artificial cricket practice facility built to total-play’s ECB approved system design. Over a decade on, total-play returned to the club to upgrade the facility’s netting and undertake some light surface maintenance works.

With 14 junior teams, 4 senior teams, junior league, district and county squads Lowerhouse CC’s nets facility takes some hammering. In daily use throughout the season for the past 12 years, the netting itself had shot through in places, and the club decided it was time for an upgrade. As the nets – and the surface – had both performed well beyond warranty, the first port of call was the original supplier, total-play Ltd.

Since the original installation the company has developed a new netting system – HD Protection Tunnel – which forms a ‘cocoon’ in each lane suspended by tension wires to avoid sagging and prevent errant balls passing between lanes. These attributes impressed the club and it was decided that the existing steel framework would be retrofitted with the HD Protection Tunnel System. During a site visit, total-play’s Anthony Burton examined the non-turf surface and found that, while the carpets and shock pads were still in excellent shape, the dynamic sub-base was in need of light re-levelling and it was agreed that the works would be carried out at the same time. Funding for the project was then raised, with 50% coming from two separate grants and the other 50% from the club’s own fundraising efforts.

With the surface re-levelled, the original shock pads and carpet in place and the new netting installed in time for the start of 2019 nets practice, coaches and players have been reaping the benefits ever since. The club’s Cricket Chairman, Stan Heaton, says:

“I can’t recommend total-play Ltd highly enough – first class service, first class product, first class installation and after-service. The fact that the facility performed well beyond its warranty period with no maintenance is testament to all of the above, and we’re already noticing the benefits of the new tunnel system. They’re a real breath of fresh air – not only do they look great but the Protection Tunnel netting is much more robust – especially important for a facility that gets as much use as ours does!”

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