After a wait of 57 years – cricket’s coming home!
The Isle of Wight is now just a few days away from staging its biggest sporting event in more than 55 years. Newclose Cricket Ground, on the outskirts of Newport, will host a mouth-watering County Championship, Division One clash between Hampshire and Nottinghamshire, from May 20 to 23.
The four-day game between two of the top flight’s best teams will be the first time since 1962 that a first class County Championship match has been played on the Island, and the first time ever that Newclose has hosted a fixture of such magnitude.
Newclose is anticipating the biggest crowd the ground has seen in the decade since it opened. In the venue’s 10th anniversary season, there can surely be no better way to celebrate than a match between Hampshire’s First XI and Nottinghamshire’s best, which in all probability will include fast bowler Stuart Broad, who has taken an incredible 437 Test wickets for England.
The opening day of the four-day match is likely to attract a crowd of more than 2,000, and is testament to the magnificent work laid down by the late Brian Gardener, whose vision and finances made it all possible. Sadly, Brian died in February, 2015, at the age of 73, having created a cricket ground out of agricultural land near Newport that he hoped would be a draw for the finest players in the world. Now that dream is about to become reality.
He invested £2million in the development of Newclose and on May 20 his family will join a large crowd of cricket fans to see this historic event. He would be immensely proud that the ground he developed was at last being graced by such high profile professional sportsmen.
As hosts, Hampshire will benefit financially from both admission and car parking charges, so Newclose will be relying on their magnificent hospitality facilities, in their pavilion, and in a marquee on the edge of the playing area, to generate income, and are hoping spectators will support their cause.
There will be a special area set aside for Hampshire, Nottinghamshire and Newclose members which will be stewarded by Newclose committee and volunteers. Staff and students from the catering department of the Isle of Wight College will be providing the meals for about 200 hospitality guests in the marquee. Members of the Vectis Sunrise Newport Rotary Club have been generous in offering their services as volunteers to assist with car parking.
Newclose was chosen for the match because during the two months of this summer’s Cricket World Cup both Hampshire and Nottinghamshire will be unable to play home games at their respective Test Match grounds. The Ageas Bowl and Trent Bridge are both fully committed to World Cup international matches. Newclose and Hampshire are confident that the match will be a great success for the players, officials and spectators, and that confidence is reflected in a four-year staging agreement for County Cricket at Newclose extending to the 2022 season.
But it has put significant pressure on the host venue’s ability to create pitches and outfields that can replicate the qualities of the Test Match and County grounds.
‘Outgrounds’ have to be able to reassure the County Clubs and the England & Wales Cricket Board that a four-day match will go the distance, and Newclose officials and ground staff have worked overtime to try to ensure this will be a ‘pitch perfect’ venue.
For the full decade since the ground opened in 2009, Newclose has enjoyed the luxury of having had the same head groundsman, Andy Butler. While Andy is assisted by volunteers who mow the outfield, the ‘square’ and 22 yard pitches have always had the benefit of quality preparation by a gifted and professional man in charge.
Since well before the showpiece fixture was announced last December, Hampshire’s Ageas Bowl Head Groundsman, Nigel Gray has been making regular visits to inspect the playing surface and has been impressed.
The recent four days of cricket between Hampshire and Middlesex Second XIs was a perfect dress-rehearsal for the forthcoming match. It finished late on the final day after more than 1,500 runs were scored on the same pitch. Hugh Griffiths, Newclose Trustee, said: “The Island Community is showing great enthusiasm for County Cricket at Newclose and if all goes to plan, a similar cricket festival is in prospect for at least another three seasons, probably more. I really hope that local club cricketers, followers of the game and sports enthusiasts in general will come along to make an annual event of cricket’s version of the Isle of Wight Festival.
“They may not have quite the status of celebrity singers and musicians, but England cricketer Stuart Broad and India’s Test team Vice-Captain Ajinkya Rahane are top names in the world of sport, and there’s a good chance they’ll be in action here on the Island from 20th to 23rd May.”
Tickets, memberships and hospitality bookings are selling well at Hampshire’s Ageas Bowl and at Newclose, and Isle of Wight residents can find details at the Newclose Cricket Ground website, www.newclose.org. Potential spectators can pay at the gate.
The Isle of Wight is now just a few days away from staging its biggest sporting event in more than 55 years. Newclose Cricket Ground, on the outskirts of Newport, will host a mouth-watering County Championship, Division One clash between Hampshire and Nottinghamshire, from May 20 to 23.
The four-day game between two of the top flight’s best teams will be the first time since 1962 that a first class County Championship match has been played on the Island, and the first time ever that Newclose has hosted a fixture of such magnitude.
Newclose is anticipating the biggest crowd the ground has seen in the decade since it opened. In the venue’s 10th anniversary season, there can surely be no better way to celebrate than a match between Hampshire’s First XI and Nottinghamshire’s best, which in all probability will include fast bowler Stuart Broad, who has taken an incredible 437 Test wickets for England.
The opening day of the four-day match is likely to attract a crowd of more than 2,000, and is testament to the magnificent work laid down by the late Brian Gardener, whose vision and finances made it all possible. Sadly, Brian died in February, 2015, at the age of 73, having created a cricket ground out of agricultural land near Newport that he hoped would be a draw for the finest players in the world. Now that dream is about to become reality.
He invested £2million in the development of Newclose and on May 20 his family will join a large crowd of cricket fans to see this historic event. He would be immensely proud that the ground he developed was at last being graced by such high profile professional sportsmen.
As hosts, Hampshire will benefit financially from both admission and car parking charges, so Newclose will be relying on their magnificent hospitality facilities, in their pavilion, and in a marquee on the edge of the playing area, to generate income, and are hoping spectators will support their cause.
There will be a special area set aside for Hampshire, Nottinghamshire and Newclose members which will be stewarded by Newclose committee and volunteers. Staff and students from the catering department of the Isle of Wight College will be providing the meals for about 200 hospitality guests in the marquee. Members of the Vectis Sunrise Newport Rotary Club have been generous in offering their services as volunteers to assist with car parking.
Newclose was chosen for the match because during the two months of this summer’s Cricket World Cup both Hampshire and Nottinghamshire will be unable to play home games at their respective Test Match grounds. The Ageas Bowl and Trent Bridge are both fully committed to World Cup international matches. Newclose and Hampshire are confident that the match will be a great success for the players, officials and spectators, and that confidence is reflected in a four-year staging agreement for County Cricket at Newclose extending to the 2022 season.
But it has put significant pressure on the host venue’s ability to create pitches and outfields that can replicate the qualities of the Test Match and County grounds.
‘Outgrounds’ have to be able to reassure the County Clubs and the England & Wales Cricket Board that a four-day match will go the distance, and Newclose officials and ground staff have worked overtime to try to ensure this will be a ‘pitch perfect’ venue.
For the full decade since the ground opened in 2009, Newclose has enjoyed the luxury of having had the same head groundsman, Andy Butler. While Andy is assisted by volunteers who mow the outfield, the ‘square’ and 22 yard pitches have always had the benefit of quality preparation by a gifted and professional man in charge.
Since well before the showpiece fixture was announced last December, Hampshire’s Ageas Bowl Head Groundsman, Nigel Gray has been making regular visits to inspect the playing surface and has been impressed.
The recent four days of cricket between Hampshire and Middlesex Second XIs was a perfect dress-rehearsal for the forthcoming match. It finished late on the final day after more than 1,500 runs were scored on the same pitch. Hugh Griffiths, Newclose Trustee, said: “The Island Community is showing great enthusiasm for County Cricket at Newclose and if all goes to plan, a similar cricket festival is in prospect for at least another three seasons, probably more. I really hope that local club cricketers, followers of the game and sports enthusiasts in general will come along to make an annual event of cricket’s version of the Isle of Wight Festival.
“They may not have quite the status of celebrity singers and musicians, but England cricketer Stuart Broad and India’s Test team Vice-Captain Ajinkya Rahane are top names in the world of sport, and there’s a good chance they’ll be in action here on the Island from 20th to 23rd May.”
Tickets, memberships and hospitality bookings are selling well at Hampshire’s Ageas Bowl and at Newclose, and Isle of Wight residents can find details at the Newclose Cricket Ground website, www.newclose.org. Potential spectators can pay at the gate.