A CRICKET club is looking to get match ready with a bid for a new pair of practice nets.

East Woodhay Cricket Club has applied for planning permission from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council to construct twin lane artificial cricket practice nets ahead of the new season.

The club, which has been playing at the Abbey Wells Road sports ground for nearly 100 years, believes the delivery of the new nets will allow for more coaching opportunities for younger cricket players.

If approved the club, would be looking to use the same artificial turf approved by the English Cricket Board (ECB) and is used at the iconic Lord’s ground.

A planning statement read: “The monofilament fibres of the NottsGrass Ultra (NGU) ensure that the structural integrity of the surface does not deteriorate as the material wears.

“Therefore, while fibrillated yarns gradually split along the length of the grass fibres creating finer and finer stands that provide less grip, resulting in a more skiddy surface and reduced turn, the NGU monofilament fibres do not split.”

The club said that the design of the nets would be done so they have minimum impact on the surrounding area of the venue.

A statement from the club read: “The design the planning permission applies [for] has been done to minimise any impact to the visual aspect of the countryside, by having the net that can be retracted back when not being used, and in the closed season both net and posts can be removed and placed in storage.”

The statement added: “The development is required to continue to give quality coaching and facilities for our current members. There is plenty of parking currently at the club so no additional parking is required.”

For more information on the planning application or to comment, go to planning.basingstoke.gov.uk and search for the reference 19/00158/FUL.