CORONET City has been forced to hunt for a new home ground due to planned works at the club’s current Ballarat Grammar base.
The Courier understands the school will build a new multi-purpose synthetic sporting pitch at its Wendouree campus, which will impinge on the turf playing surface at the number two oval.
Coronet City president Craig Murdoch said the finished product would severely restrict room at one end of the ground, which has been the cricket club’s home for much of the past decade following its move from Ballarat High School.
“That’s probably going to be too small to play first and second grade cricket up there when a straight drive boundary is 30-35 metres away,” Murdoch said.
“Usually you require about 60 metres and I think City Oval is one of the shortest at about 45-50 meters. We’re talking 10-15 metres shorter than that.”
Murdoch said the club had been aware of Grammar’s plans for a number of months and was in the midst of securing a new home ground for the 2013-14 season.
The club president wouldn’t reveal which ground the club was looking to host games at, but possible options include St Patrick’s College, which has been used by a number of other Ballarat teams in the past, and Ballarat High School.
“That all looks pretty positive,” Murdoch said.
“Hopefully we have it settled before the end of the season at the very least.”
Murdoch said the club was able to continue to train and socialise at Grammar despite playing matches away from the venue.
Coronet City and the rest of the Ballarat Cricket Association club firsts, seconds, thirds and fourths teams resume their 2012-13 campaigns with a one-day clash this Saturday.
The district divisions one, two and three and club fifths will get back underway the following weekend, with all junior grades returning on February 2.
tim.oconnor@fairfaxmedia.com.au
