Home games delivered
A helping hand from the Tokoroa Host Lions means South Waikato junior cricketers get to play their games in their own town on a new wicket.
The new pitch, which cost more than $9000, was funded by the Lions and the New Zealand Cricket Foundation.
The new wicket at the Mossop Rd grounds will be used for one home game every week, and the two teams will alternate.
Prior to the build, all of the junior players travelled to Rotorua every week.
‘‘ We’ve got some dedicated mums out there, but it’s an early start,’’ Tokoroa Cricket Club president Grant Hall said.
Once they secured funding for materials all that was needed was the skills to install it, and that’s where the Lions club came in.
‘‘We didn’t know how to build it so we asked the Tokoroa Host Lions.’’
He knew the communityfocused club had experienced tradespeople involved.
But their $4000 contribution came as a surprise.
The club was already able to cover the costs with fees and some funding from the Endeavour Trust along with the Cricket Foundation funding.
The extra money from the trust has now been put towards upgrading the practice cages.
A plan to give the cricket club building a ‘‘facelift’’ is also on the cards.
‘‘Our focus, as a cricket club, is to bring it up to scratch.’’
Hall said the number of members has doubled since last year.