Cricket Victoria endorse Junction Oval upgrade

Cricket Victoria has endorsed a redevelopment of the Junction Oval and hopes to have the venue upgraded to first-class status by the start of the 2016-17 season. On Saturday, Victorians elected a Labor state government and new premier Daniel Andrews, who as one of his election promises had committed $25 million to enable the development of the new Victorian Cricket and Community Centre at the Junction Oval.

The venue has traditionally been Victorian cricket's second home after the MCG but Cricket Australia had in recent years declared that the facilities had become so run-down that it no longer met first-class status. That meant that when the MCG was unavailable late this summer due to the World Cup, Cricket Victoria had no choice but to look interstate for venues, and will play their final three "home games" of the Sheffield Shield in Alice Springs and Glenelg.

Geoff Tamblyn, the chairman of Cricket Victoria, said he was pleased with the Andrews Government's commitment as it also included $10 million to establish a fund to respond to the needs of community cricket in towns, suburbs and regional cities across the state. The Junction Oval, though, will be the major beneficiary, and will become a base not only for Victoria's elite cricketers but also community levels of the game.

"The Junction Oval development will give us the capacity to compete with other major cricket states that have had dedicated homes for cricket for many years," Tamblyn said. "Our cricket community has been crying out for this level of support and the game at every level will now have a platform for future growth.

"We lead Australia in cricket participation and this funding will help to meet current and future demand, underpinning the continued success of cricket in this state. The provision of a second first-class ground in Victoria also frees up the MCG for use by AFL football in the opening rounds of each season, delivering a great result for cricket and football fans and an economic boost to the AFL, MCC and the state.

"The Cricket Victoria board has long maintained a position that the Junction Oval provides multiple solutions for cricket in this state. As well as satisfying the needs of cricket in Victoria, it ensures that the 159-year history of the St Kilda CC at the oval will continue long into the future.

"The new VCCC will serve the local St Kilda/Albert Park and wider community, with which we have been deeply engaged for many years. This development will positively impact cricket at all levels. It includes vastly improved facilities for women and dedicated capacity to support cricket for people of all backgrounds and all abilities. It also provides a training centre and accommodation for regional cricketers."