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New Cricket Hub to turn Ted Summerton into Gippsland’s Own ‘MCG’

Gippsland Regional Cricket Centre at Ted Summerton Reserve in Moe with $3.5 million funding.

By Portal Admin - 5th November 2018 - Back to News

A Gippsland Regional Cricket Centre will be developed at Ted Summerton Reserve in Moe, with $3.5 million in funding through the Victorian Government and the Latrobe Valley Authority. The Gippsland Regional Cricket Centre is a partnership between Cricket Australia, Cricket Victoria and the State Government. Tenders for design and construction of the centre closed on Tuesday with the aim of announcing a successful contractor in coming weeks.

Latrobe City Council’s mayor, Councillor Darrell White, said the development of the Regional Cricket Centre at Moe would benefit the entire Gippsland region, one of the strongest country areas for cricket participation.

"There are around 5000 people playing the sport in this region, from juniors through to veterans. The addition of a state-of-the-art cricket training centre will go a long way towards developing some homegrown talent for future cricketing stardom," Cr White said.

The facility will be a multi-purpose centre catering to a diverse cross-section of community groups and sporting clubs and include a state of the art indoor cricket training centre, incorporating cutting edge technology to facilitate high-level coaching and player education.

"Since its redevelopment in 2011, the Ted Summerton Reserve has built a reputation as a regional venue of choice for elite sporting events. As well as being a regular host for regional and local football, netball and cricket finals matches, it has also hosted AFL and AFLW clashes. And the Melbourne Stars have adopted Latrobe City as their ‘home away from home’ and will play a Big Bash game at the Ted Summerton Reserve, which will be televised, showcasing the facility to the world.

"We’d like to think of it becoming Gippsland’s own ‘MCG’.

"For the local and regional cricketers, the training centre will provide a new pathway towards development, supporting the ambitions of our younger players who want to aim high. Gippsland has already produced a wealth of talent in terms of elite cricketers – Peter Siddle from Morwell, Brad Knowles from Yinnar, Cameron White from Bairnsdale, Sophie Molineux from Bairnsdale and Nicole Faltum from Moe, plus a wealth of others, have played at the top level.

"This centre will be a physical base from which our local sports stars of the future can cut their teeth without having to travel to the city. Development of this kind of facility is a boost not only to Latrobe City as a Regional City but to wider Gippsland, where we have the passion and the drive to succeed but we are often hampered by a lack of access or opportunity," Cr White concluded.

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: support@gippsland.com