WACA launch transportable wicket project

The WACA have today launched a new concept to the cricketing world known as a Transportable Wicket.

Although since the days of World Series Cricket we have seen pitches that have been grown elsewhere dropped into place a matter of days before they are used, never before have we had a pitch made modular, so that it might be transported from town to town, reused from cricket ground to country reserve and elsewhere.

Yet this is what the WACA have set out to do - and they are to be applauded for the innovation.

Unveiled by the WACA today at Perth after the announcement of a "Tri-Series" to be held in Broome during September was the very pitch that the Western Warriors, Kwa-Zulu Natal Dolphins and Victorian Bushrangers will be playing upon.

It is a broad expanse of lush green turf that has been grown at the Murdoch campus of TAFE that currently looks "parquetry like" with the new turves freshly laid.

It is not just any old bit grass slapped on an iron rack. This is turf with pedigree. Turf that was from the original WACA prior to the redevelopment in the late 80's. It is of a lineage that will hopefully retain much of the classical qualities that made the WACA a famous fast bouncy wicket.

Weighing in at approximately 35 tonnes a sward of WACA Turf has been laid upon Harvey river clay (extracted from Waroona) to a depth of 200mm thence laid in a frame 28 metres long and 3.3 metres wide. The frame alone weighs 7 tonnes and is made of galvanised steel, engineered for strength and portability.

Setting out in late July 2000 the pitch is to be hoisted from its current resting place onto the back of a truck and brought to the Fremantle harbour whence it will be barged to Broome - a journey over 4 days. With it will travel the WACA curator - Richard Winter and a few of his trusty band of ground staff. Mr Winter says it will require tending but will remain covered for the journey. Meanwhile in Broome the Male oval will require some surgery to make a hole to accommodate the modular pitch.

Once the games are over the pitch will be pulled out of its resting place and barged back to Perth via Derby and Darwin in a final excursion lasting 11 weeks. By this time it is anticipated that the Transportable Wicket Concept will have proven successful.

The WACA is looking to innovation to attract investment to offset the fall in revenue that is expected once AFL football is no longer played at the WACA ground during the winter months. They have a far reaching concept and development plan for the future of the WACA complex in Perth that they are well placed to implement.

The concept and this particular strain of turf will probably be subject to patent if the Broome project is proven.

The WACA has received assistance and encouragement through the Western Australian Government and the Ministry for Sports and Recreation and in particular from the Minister Norman Moore who is a keen cricket fan and patron. Mr Moore envisages using this technology to aide cricket in the rural community and in particular made reference to the Sandstone Cricket Carnival which is played between teams from Sandstone, Meekatharra, Mt. Magnet, Leinster and Leonora in the Western Australian outback.