Brand new look at the Cooma Oval cricket nets

The cricket nets at Cooma Oval have a brand new look thanks to Cricket NSW and both the Narrabri District Cricket Association and the Narrabri District Junior Cricket Association.

A concrete slab was poured to replace all of the rocks from the run ups at the nets.

Stage one of the two-day project was held on Saturday, July 25, which saw a hardworking and very dedicated group of volunteers from the NDCA begin prep work and forming up for the slab at the nets.

Stage two was then completed last Saturday when more than 25 NDCA and NDJCA volunteers gave up their time to chip in and help get the job done.

NDCA treasurer Luke Meppem thanked everyone who helped out across the two days, and said that the NDCA was especially appreciative of Nick Smart, Tom Craig and JJ Petrie for their expert help.

Meppem described the project as a win for all cricketers in the Narrabri Shire.

“It’s a great thing for the association and for cricketers all over our shire,” Meppem said.

“It will hopefully help us attract trainers days for Central North squads and things like that.

Meppem said that the nets would now be much safer for all cricketers at training.

“It’s going to be a lot safer over there now. Hopefully there’ll no longer be any people getting hit in the head with balls bouncing off rocks.

“It’ll also be a lot safer for the bowlers running up to bowl too, they won’t be running up on uneven ground any more.”

The first phase of the project was funded by NSW Cricket’s Australian Cricket Infrastructure Fund.

The next phase of the project will be completed in conjunction with Narrabri Shire Council which will see new nets and synthetic lanes put in, which the NDCA hopes will be completed before the 2020-21 season begins.

Meppem said that the ultimate goal was to make the facility fully synthetic.