Fitzherbert Park ready for shield return
The return of Plunket Shield cricket matches to Palmerston North’s Fitzherbert Park is seriously on the horizon, with the completion of the ground’s practice pitches.
The practice pitches have been built and are in use now the cricket season is in full swing.
It means Fitzherbert Park can regain its first-class warrant of fitness, which is required to host Plunket Shield matches.
Built at the southern end of the ground, in the old grass car park, there are 10 pitches – taking up about 500 square metres – two mobile nets and a 30-metre sandbased run-up.
Players can have a net at the ground, rather than heading across to Ongley Park for a training session.
The pitches have received a tick of approval from the Manawatu¯ senior men’s and women’s rep teams, and the Central Districts men have used the facility and are happy with it.
Manawatu¯ Cricket general manager James Lovegrove was pleased the facility was up and running.
‘‘It’s a really good facility and when you’re at Fitzherbert Park doing your field drills, you can do your batting and bowling in the nets. It’s a first-class facility.’’
He said they had the word from New Zealand Cricket the ground should get its warrant of fitness in March, which meant CD would be able to play four-day games there next summer.
Fitzherbert Park hasn’t hosted a men’s four-day game since March 2008.
The facility will be officially opened in January for the association’s 125th anniversary celebrations and will be called the Colin Mcvicar Practice Facility, named after the Manawatu¯ great.
Lovegrove said CD could see Palmerston North as a long-term base for Plunket Shield games.
He praised the Palmerston North City Council for its support of the project and getting the facility built.
The association and the city council covered the $140,000 costs of the pitch block.