IF YOU are into cricket and you’re under 14, Ultima TUF Cricket Club wants to hear from you.
And if you join up next season you’ll find the nets at Alan Garden Memorial Reserve have been fully upgraded.
By the time senior and junior training starts up again in October, all cricketers will be enjoying using new nets thanks to a $5000 grant from Cricket Victoria.
“The lefthand side net will be demolished and two new ones will be installed with all the mod-cons,” UTUF’s Andy Abbott said.
The new nets will have nylon netting, a new synthetic surface and a surrounding security fence, with a brand new concrete slab.
Abbott said the new slab would improve the longevity of training balls as well as removing some problems with weeds.
Abbott said the upgrade had been on the cards for about two years after UTUF reinstated its junior teams for the first time since the mid-1990s.
“Since we have had the juniors involved again we’ve come to the conclusion that two nets isn’t enough,” he said.
“We’re hoping this will attract more juniors and help strengthen the club.”
The club needs a significant increase in under 14s numbers to get a side going again, according to Abbott.
“It will be great if we can get under 14s going again, and we’re rapt Cricket Victoria has come to help us out,” he said.
“All our players will love the improvement.”
