Case studies

ECB approved artificial cricket practice facility

When Church & Oswaldtwistle CC decided to invest in a new state-of-the-art artificial cricket practice facility, it was a team effort from the outset. Having secured 50% of the project funding from Sport England, the club borrowed a small amount from the ECB on an interest-free loan basis with the remainder borrowed from interest-free loans from members; to be repaid over 3 years. And the members’ input didn’t stop with the funding – as Club Chairman Philip Sykes explains:

“The site where the facility was to be built was on a slope, and we knew at the outset there would be extensive landscaping required. We wanted suppliers to provide a full breakdown of the what works were required and costs, as we had people within the club who were capable of carrying our preparatory works to help reduce costs.”

Having got quotes in from several ECB approved system suppliers, total-play Ltd impressed Philip and the team:

“total-play had carried out similar projects at local clubs, all of which highly recommended the company. We were able to look at the net facilities they had installed at and were impressed with the quality. We also liked the base structure for the facility, which did not involve timber like some other companies’ systems. While total-play were not the cheapest quote, we felt the quality of the product, the recommendations and the guarantee regarding the base structure were worth the extra investment”

With the supplier appointed, club members carried out extensive prep works on site under total-play’s guidance. Alongside providing a suitable build area within tolerance on surface levels, the works involved the installation of a catchment drain to protect the facility from run-off from higher ground, and also building a retaining feature down the side and back of system. total-play’s in-house groundworks team moved in to complete the installation of the new 2 lane, 33m enclosed facility, with a specification that includes HD Protection Tunnel netting, wrap batting curtains, protection skirting and a locakble access gate. Club members then finished the system off by gravelling around it and incorporating a paved entrance area. Philip says:

“Everything from start to finish has been positive. The players are impressed with the quality, it has been a huge help in developing our junior cricketers, and we’d happily recommend total-play to other clubs.”