Excitement has reached fever pitch in Port Alfred’s Station Hill suburb after news that construction of two brand new turf cricket pitches will soon begin at their local sports club.
The Station Hill Grounds is currently being used predominantly as a rugby field where Kowie United play all their home games. A nearby tarmac is also sometimes used for netball matches.
Those involved with bringing brand new turf wickets to the facility are hoping they will be ready for the start of the 2025-26 season in about nine months’ time. The waiting period is to allow the grass to take root before matches can be played on the surfaces.
Station Hill CC who won the B League Pineapple Cricket trophy in the tournament’s milestone 120th year anniversary last year, contest the second league under the auspices of the Grahamstown Cricket Board.
The club was started 19 years ago by well-known community figure and club president, Andy Jones, who identified the need to divert youth from a life of crime and drug dependence.
Past Pineapple Cricket president, Dave Duncan, who handed over the reins to Salem CC’s Peter Amm last year, said the idea came about when officials began speaking after the last Pineapple tournament about a possible alternative to the Air School fields “which has zero facilities, no maintenance programme and is prone to vandalism”.
Duncan said Station Hill Cricket being so passionate about their cricket and having performed so well in the league and tournaments over consecutive seasons, had attracted their attention.
“Following the tournament (last year) after Station Hill had won the B league (Pineapple Tournament) we decided to go and see what their grounds looked like at their sports club – and so the seeds started being planted (for a new turf wicket) with incoming president , Peter Amm ,” said Duncan.
“We had heard about the Station Hill Sports Club and that rugby was played there so we took a drive to see for ourselves what the grounds looked like and were taken by surprise to see that the fields are behind lock and key, there is a resident caretaker, change-rooms, a scoreboard for cricket and cricket nets (albeit in terrible condition). It was then to us a no-brainer that it would be worth investing in creating a cricket pitch on their rugby field,” said Duncan.
Duncan said collaborators on the project will be the Pineapple Tournament Committee and Station Hill Cricket Club. “And Leard King from King Construction will be doing the work of laying the pitches for us.
He said proceeds from three previous Pineapple tournaments (sponsorships and revenue from the tent/entertainment) helped with financing the project. “It is through our massive network of sponsorships and especially our main sponsors Rosehill Spar and Kowie Toyota that we are now in a position to give back to cricket in our community. “
Amm, described the development as a huge boost for Station Hill as a whole and explained the process of setting up the turf wickets.
“The area of the pitch needs to be excavated, that soil removed and then replaced with different materials (G5 coarse and fine soil) in layers that are very well compacted . It is topped off by special pitch soil (bully) from Adelaide and then the grass planted – It will take at least 9 months to grow and set properly. The Pineapple Tournament will be funding the construction and a pitch mower. Port Alfred Country Club is donating a pitch mower,” said Amm.
The turf wickets will require a strict maintenance schedule, but Amm is confident that measures to this effect have been put in place.
“The Pineapple Tournament will provide constant advice and training to the club members and especially the groundsman as the pitch is setting. This will be done in partnership with the Ndlambe (Municipality) who provide the full-time groundsman, assist with cutting the fields and provide water and electricity. Club leadership and members are the key to the longevity of what will soon be a wonderful facility.”
“The real credit for where Station Hill Cricket Club finds itself in is the club leadership and its members, and here I want to mention Andy Jones. They have developed cricketing skills and have built up respect and admiration and camaraderie from fellow cricket clubs in both the GCB league and PT. They thoroughly deserve this support. It is a huge success story that they have worked very hard for.”
Club President Andy Jones said the club was over the moon with the latest developments.
“We cannot wait for the pitches; the players are happy and we are all very thankful.”
“The standards that we have maintained as a cricket team has helped us get to where we are. These new pitches are going to be a great help … it means the local schools can get youngsters into cricket at a young age; and this will allow our club to grow further. This means that our kids will have a summer sport which means sport all year round and can help them keep them off the streets.”
He said guidance from Duncan and Amm will go a long way to ensure proper maintenance of the pitch. “The rugby community have shown great understanding of what is required and are co-operating in this respect too.
“Over the last 10 years the club has ended regularly in the top-three (league), won the Pineapple twice and the league once. Our players grow up together in the community; they know each other very well, play for each other and they know to never underestimate your opponents.
“A big thank you must go to Walter Biggs, Dave Duncan and Peter Amm: God’s blessing to all of you.”
Grahamstown Cricket Board president Leon Coetzee says the move was a quite exciting development and would benefit all clubs in the area.
“A matter of concern would be what happens off-season when rugby is played there but I’m sure structures have been set up to ensure the pitch is properly looked after. But this is a great move for development of cricket,” Coetzee said.
- This article was first published in Talk of the Town, January 16, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
