Case studies

Replacement of existing cricket nets

With its cricket practice nets facility in daily use from April through to mid-September, after 12 years of use the netting on Burley in Wharfedale CC’s system was starting to show the strain. With the nets sagging, worn and many sections disintegrating, it was evident that an upgrade was due for the aspiring club to maintain its rigorous coaching programme.

During a coaching visit to nearby Bradford Park Avenue the club’s Head Coach David Cooper – who just happens to be the coaching mastermind behind leading Cricket Coaching Mat batting aid – saw the recently installed 8-lane practice nets facility by total-play Ltd and was immediately impressed. The HD Protection Tunnel Netting System, which not only sees each lane ‘cocooned’ in netting to avoid balls passing between lanes but sees nets fixed using tension wires that prevent sagging and alleviates damage from fixing points, ticked all the boxes he was looking for in terms of safety and quality.

Having approached total-play and a number of other suppliers for quotes on replacement netting for the club’s existing facility, HD Protection Tunnel was selected despite not being the lowest cost – the quality of the product and extensive warranties offering peace of mind in the investment.

With the decision made, David worked closely with total-play Business Development Manager Anthony Burton to include bespoke elements to the new netting specification to meet the club’s individual needs. These included the addition of a white batting curtain to each lane to ensure privacy and help players focus on the coach’s instruction without distraction, and the enclosure of a large space to the side of the facility for use as a covered play area for younger children. The total-play installation team removed all the old dilapidated netting, then set about dismantling the top of the steelwork to accommodate the extra Kee Klamp fixings required to support the new HD Protection Tunnel netting system. The netting was then suspended on the new fixings; allowing the integral PVC sleeves and tension wires to suspend the new netting safely and without the stress of zip ties and cordage.To celebrate the re-vamped facility, Yorkshire cricketer and Burley-in-Wharfedale alumnus Harry Brook returned to his old club to officially open the nets and test them out, with the club making the most of them ever since, as David explains:

“The new netting is fantastic and we’re immediately reaping the benefits. We’re no longer at risk of balls causing injury by passing through worn sections and the batting curtain is working brilliantly to help improve focus by cutting distractions from neighbouring lanes. The quality of the HD Protection Tunnel System is second to none and I’d happily recommend total-play to anyone looking to revamp their nets facility.”