Sydenham C.C. on the move

Press, 1 June 1977, Page 20

Sydenham C.C. on the move

The old fence outside Nazareth House has been demolished and the next on the list, as the widening of Brougham Street proceeds, seems sure to be that bordering Sydenham Park.

And while the Sydenham Cricket Club is sure to suffer more than any other sport in the interests of the expressway, it has wasted no time or effort in gaining some compensation from the Christchurch City Council.

The end result will mean facilities less satisfactory than at present for one of the city’s biggest clubs, but at least a maintaining of five pitches at Sydenham Park.

The worst aspect of the land taken from the park is that it will become — undesirably — more like Hagley Oval, according to the Sydenham club captain, Dave Gallop.

“All the pitches have been resited because, in the worse cases (the present Nos 2 and 3 pitches), the boundaries would have been only about 30m. A batsman would only need a 9-iron or a sand wedge to hit a six,” said Gallop. Those changes have forced on the club an alte-

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ration in the siting of its main pitch, for senior matches. At present in the north-west corner of the park, and handy to the modern pavilion, that pitch will be resited in the south-west corner, still with reasonably big ' — 55m — boundaries but closer to the tennis courts and bowls greens, which receive a regular bombardment from big hitters. As Gallop points out, this will detract from the viewing suitability of the pavilion, but not until the 1978-79 season. Next season, the club will continue to use the “old” present No. 1 block while the new pitch is consolidating. It will also use the existing blocks along the south length of the park.

But with the other two pitches being resited, Sydenham needs replacements and Gallop said that “the council will provide us with two prepared pitches, somewhere. But it could be anywhere and this does concern us. “With 10 men's teams, we must provide five pitches, and ideally we would like something at Centennial Park. We are the only district cricket

RAY CAIRNS

club in about 20 per cent of the city’s area, and I think it is very important to have a district club at Centennial Park.”

Gallop did not deny the Sydenham club was looking at the concept of twin headquarters, particularly with the growth in numbers of its women’s teams, but he was pessimistic about the prospects of playing cricket at Centennial Park next season.

“I will be very very surprised if the park is in fit condition and, anyway, we can not negotiate with the council on Centennial Park. We have been told negotiations must be carried out through the Canterbury Cricket Association.”

About 15m, along the full length of Sydenham Park, has been taken for the expressway, and while the present pitches at the south of the park — 4 and 5 at the moment — will continue in use next season, both will also be resited at the end of the season.

The changes will not be very great, but No. 4 pitch will become the new No. 2, in the south-east

corner of the park, and it too will have 55m boundaries. As with the new No. 1, it will not suffer too greatly from encroachment by fieldsmen on other pitches “but it was the best we could do with what was left,” according to Gallop. The council is paying for the resiting of the blocks —though the work will be carried, out by Sydenham, with guidance and help from the Lancaster Park groundsman, Cyril Barnes — and the new pitches could be the first in Canterbury to use soil from Banks Peninsula. The C.C.A., with assistance from Lincoln College, is looking at the soil as an alternative to that it at present brings from Ward. It is believed to have the same binding qualities. The resiting of the club’s permanent practice blocks will also be financed by the council, and it is considering a request to provide some off-street parking opposite Sydenham Park.

The end result will mean not quite the same old Sydenham Park, but at least a club strong in spirit will remain unified to a greater degree than first appeared likely.