‘Open’ Facilities:
An ‘Open’ facility we generally construct to 27m in length.
The facility is open from the bowlers end, allowing the bowlers to run in from surrounding natural area. From experience, anything less than 27m results in high wear and tear to the natural grass bowlers run up area.
With an open facility, the ball can potentially escape from the netted area when hit back past the bowlers. The batting lane steelwork is installed to meet minimum ECB requirements of 18.3m in length.
‘Enclosed’ Facilities:
An ‘Enclosed’ facility we typically construct to 33m in length.
Enclosed systems provide the client with a large multi-use / skills area inside the facility that can be used for a range of activities including throw-down drills, stretching, warm ups and fielding practices.
The system is effectively ‘an indoor practice area built outside’, this allows the practice area to stay as a clean facility ensuring the playing surface carpet can remain usable for a longer period of time
Enclosed practice systems offer an enhanced steel framework which significantly helps ensure that the ball cannot escape and hit neighbouring cars / spectators / general public etc.
Enclosed practice systems come complete with a white netting wall at the bowlers end. This ensures the practice facility is usable at all times of the day regardless of the sun position and associated glare.
Enclosed systems offer an increased level of security to both users and the Club.
An enclosed system design may negate the need for installing additional security fencing – this could be a significant cost saving to this project.
The batting lane steelwork is increased to 25.55m to exceed minimum ECB requirements. The netting and steelwork is then continued to enclose the facility at the bowlers end.
The idea of having a 30m length facility comes historically from stock carpet roll lengths being a standard 30m length. This meant constructing a facility 30m minimised carpet wastage. This still goes ahead, even though 30m is not in the best interest of the cricketer, as the run up area is not long enough.
Through working closely with our carpet manufacturers and through advanced construction techniques, we are able to construct facilities in the cricketers best interests.
