NEW INDOOR CENTRE - BOOK ONLINE
Our new Rodney Green Foundation Indoor Cricket Centre is open and book-a-net is live!
From today, booking a lane in the brand new training hub at Mitre 10 Park, Hawke’s Bay is as simple as clicking a button.
Now you can work on your game year-round at the home of the Central Stags and Hinds.
Hop onto our Pay-2-Play portal HERE anytime to select and book your training lane — with peak and off peak pricing options.
Minimum booking is for one hour. Once you have booked for your first hour, you will have an option to book a further half hour in the same lane.
Sessions start at $20+GST and you can find out all about the Indoor Centre’s location, booking options, FAQs, terms and more here.
AT A GLANCE
Opened on 22 August 2023 by Heretaunga Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst, the Rodney Green Foundation Indoor Cricket and Boxing Centre is a purpose-built, multi-use training facility shared by Central Districts Cricket Association and Hastings Giants Boxing.
Book online, collect your access card, swipe into the centre and turn left and your selection of four indoor cricket lanes are ready and waiting for you to fine-tune your game.
The whole 1,045 square metre, flat floor space is also available to other sporting codes, community groups and schools for hire exclusively by the day, by arrangement.
The spacious hub caters for all levels of cricket — from Juniors to Senior club players to professionals to masters.
The centre will even be hosting the BLACKCAPS and WHITE FERNS. It’s open to the general public daily, at the hours above, unless booked prior.
Anyone can book their net in this cricket training facility.
VERY PROUD DAY
It really was a landmark day for Central Districts as the ribbon was cut on our twin training facilities.
CDCA CHAIR MIKE DEVONSHIRE, CRAIG McDOUGALL OF THE HB SPORTS YOUTH TRUST AND HERETAUNGA HASTINGS MAYOR, SANDRA HAZLEHURST
We now have the wonderful $2.4 million Rodney Green Foundation Indoor Cricket and Boxing Centre for community and high performance players, and our adjacent $1.8 million Rodney Green Turf Training Facility for high performance cricketers.
Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst was delighted to officially open the Indoor Centre, the build of which was brought to life by Heretaunga Hastings District Council, Tiger Turf, SCL Civil Works, Development Nous Ltd, and Mammoth Media.
WORLD CLASS.
It's a description too often used lightly, but these two facilities live up to the billing.
The Rodney Green Foundation Turf Training Facility is the newest and most technically avanced high performance hub for elite cricketers and cricket teams in the southern hemisphere.
Fully lit, it’s also one of the very few places in New Zealand where cricketers can train under the stars in a purpose-built net.
As the permanent training home of our national champion Central Stags and the Central Hinds, the custom greenhouse houses an impressive 16 grass wickets, with eight at each end.
The roof is fully retractable for optimal control, and the evening training option provides our players with outstanding preparation for games under lights.
“I think you just have to see and feel the vibe around here, not just for cricket, but for all sports in the region, to realise what a great hub the sports park is for athletes in Hawke’s Bay as well as the wider Central Districts network,” Central Stags Head Coach, Glenn Pocknall says.
“The Rodney Green Foundation Turf Training Facility epitomises it. There’s a real buzz being in here to train, and our batters are going to be queuing up to experience it at night.”
The sides of the 65m x 20m greenhouse space are also completely retractable, creating a one-of-a-kind cricket facility in the lower North Island.
Spartacus ryegrass pitches facilitate year-round training capability on a bed of Test-calibre, Patumahoe clay.
In addition, two of the grass pitches in the greenhouse are currently custom-sown in couch grass which will specifically assist our players to train for conditions on the subcontinent.
CURATED by former Test groundsman Phil Stoyanoff, CDCA CEO Lance Hamilton emphasised that this facility is a game-changer for CD.
“It's the place our Domestic and International representatives will train, and we appreciate every person, company and organisation along the journey who has helped us to realise this dream.
“In particular I would like acknowledge Rodney Green’s amazing generosity as the philanthropic force behind the Rodney Green Foundation; and also, New Zealand Cricket Inc — particularly Andrew Love whose experience and guidance to me was invaluable; and David White, Rob Campbell and Martin Snedden for supporting the vision.
NZC CHAIR, MARTIN SNEDDEN and RODNEY GREEN
"They helped us to get to where we are today, working in facilities that stand among the best in the world.”
Hamilton also expressed CDCA’s gratitude to integral project partners the Hawke’s Bay Regional Sports Park Trust, and the Hawke’s Bay Youth Trust who support Hastings Giants Boxing.
CDCA Chair, Mike Devonshire said the new facilities will be an invaluable asset, not only for the Hawke’s Bay community, but for the entire CD region.
“We have eight Districts, 13,000 registered players and some 150 clubs in CD.
“These new training facilities allow us to now provide a state-of-the-art training stage for both Community and for high performance cricketers, with CD and District Association players able to be accommodated on site."
Article added: Thursday 07 September 2023
