Long-term dream realised

INDOOR CRICKET GUERNSEY is finally a dream come true for the man behind the ambitious centre.

Jon Ravenscroft said he has harboured a dream of owning his indoor cricket facility for years.

Now head of Cenkos Channel Islands, he was a proud man at the weekend as he watched former England captain Mike Gatting officially open his state-of-the-art centre at Hougue du Pommier.

'It's been a long time in my mind and only in the last few years has it been financially viable,' said the ICG chairman.

'Everyone involved in the project is emotionally drained but incredibly proud.'

The construction has taken two-and-a-half years, predated by a number of years of planning and the enormous amount of island bureaucracy involved.

The Guernsey Cricket Board's head groundsman, Alan Hamilton, who has extensive experience in the building trade, was project manager.

RG Falla were involved and it became something of a family affair as Ravenscroft's younger brother Nick is a director of the local building firm and was on site.

The owner declined to comment as to how much it all finally cost but previous estimates had it at more than £1m.

And according to ICG chief executive officer and the GCB's development officer Jason Shambrook, no expense has been spared.

'It's a great facility for Guernsey,' he said.

'It's one of the best in the UK and Europe, if not the world. The place is "over-specced".'

The 1,200sq.m. main hall can host two indoor matches playing simultaneously with a further coaching area available for fielding practice or individual coaching.

These areas also incorporate nine interchangeable nets that can be used for individual or club training.

As an indication of the no-expense spared attitude of the place, the bowler's end of the wickets are fully sprung to give a softer landing.

Also the average lighting for indoor nets is usually 300 lux (units of brightness) but the ICG has a power of 1,450 lux, which easily conforms with the England & Wales Cricket Board's recommendations for training for world-class players.

Although it is not immediately noticeable, the grains of the artificial grass style flooring, which was shipped in especially from Australia, are at an angle.

In the three side nets, where a remote-control bowling machine will be permanently erected in one bay, the grain goes away from the bowler.

However, in the main area, the grain goes towards the bowler and therefore the wicket is slower and takes more spin.