New non-turf pitch increases capacity for growing Tewkesbury CC
Tewkesbury Cricket Club (TCC), embarked on a transformative project aimed at enhancing their facilities to accommodate the club's growing demand for cricket across all areas.
With an impressive array of Saturday league, women’s, and junior teams, the club recognised the need for improved infrastructure, especially at their Twyning site, to fully utilise the potential of their second ground.
This case study explores how the Foundation allocated ECB County Grant Funding to Tewkesbury Cricket Club, enabling the installation of an ECB approved non-turf pitch at their Twyning site, ultimately supporting the club’s expansion and development goals.
Project Goals
The club’s primary objective was to establish Twyning CC as a home for the clubs women’s, junior and Saturday league playing third and fourth teams, thereby relieving pressure on their primary ground and ensuring the continuous growth and participation of cricketers in the Tewkesbury area.
As such the club sought to fully replace the existing artificial pitch at Twyning CC with an ECB approved non-turf match pitch at one end of the grass square. This upgrade was essential to provide a high-quality playing surface for matches and practice sessions.
ECB County Grant Funding Allocation
TCC have worked incredibly hard over the past few years to start and grow their playing offer for women. As such, the club’s main ground and grass pitches were nearing capacity and with further growth anticipated across all areas of the club, the Foundation awarded Tewkesbury CC a grant of £10,000. The funding came from the counties annual allocation of the funding from the ECB and their County Grant Fund scheme. Topped up by £3,148 of their own funds, TCC worked with an ECB approved supplier to who installed the system.
ECB-approved systems, guarantee conformity to the ECB’s guidelines and regulations and offer durability, reliability, and consistency in performance, ensuring a safe and high-quality playing surface for both practice and matches.
Impact and future prospects
The successful implementation of the project has improved the facility at Twyning and has allowed TCC to accommodate its growing number of teams and players. With the new non-turf pitch in place, the club can confidently schedule matches and training sessions, further enhancing participation and development opportunities.
The Foundation’s Club Development Manager, Scott Tremain said…
“It’s fantastic to see the journey the club has been on in recent years, from the momentum the club has generated through the creation of new playing sections to the proactive approach they have taken to secure a second ground at the Twyning site. We are delighted to support the club to install a high quality facility that will improve it’s playing capacity and the experience for their members.
Hilary Caudle, President of Tewkesbury CC said…
“Tewkesbury Cricket Club were very grateful for the ECB County Grant Fund support of £10,000 awarded by the GCF towards the cost of the artificial strip replacement. The expansion of the club has been enhanced by us having use of the Twyning ground 7 days a week, as required for training and matches, by all members of the club. With the juniors having 3 competing team and the women now with two soft ball and one hard ball team, it was a necessity to expand our facilities, and we have invested in purchasing second hand covers for the ground as well. This all bodes well for the future seasons, and we are thankful for the ECB County Grant Fund being made available for improvements to cricket facilities.”
The facility at Twyning has also played a crucial role in mitigating the challenges posed by flooding at Tewkesbury’s main ground, providing an alternative venue for cricket activities. With the expanded capacity and enhanced infrastructure, the club now has the resources to continue its mission of nurturing cricket talent at all levels, from juniors and girls to its women’s and senior teams.