HAMISH BIDWELL
NATO - No Action Talk Only.
It's been a favourite tag of Craig Findlay's to describe the inertia of the odd person in Hawke's Bay cricket circles. So when he said he could deliver an indoor training facility that could be used by schoolboy, club, Hawke's Bay, Central Districts and international players alike, Findlay knew he better make sure he pulled it off.
It appears that he has and come this winter the new three-lane complex at Napier Technical Old Boys' gymnasium at Whitmore Park will ring to the sound of leather on willow. To the uninitiated, the project may not seem a big deal, but for those in cricket circles it's seen as vital.
New Hawke's Bay Cricket Association cricket development manager, Dale Smidt, said earlier this week cricket in this region would never move ahead without somewhere to conduct meaningful technical work over winter. Well, his prayers, and those of many should be answered soon.
"It'll be up and running by July," said Findlay, cricket development manager for NTOB.
"It all comes down to money now and I'll be sitting down with the Central Districts Cricket Association this week to make sure we can get it. The plans are all in place and now it's just a case of securing the funding.
"We do need a bit of money but CD are going to help with that by pointing us in the right direction in terms of groups like the New Zealand Cricket Foundation and the Eastern and Central Community Trust. I've spoken to our project manager from Alexander Construction and he's ready to start work as soon as we get the okay.
"We could have gone into it on our own but having the backing of CD enables us to construct a full indoor facility of a national standard, up to a length of 40 metres. As a result, cricket and cricketers in Hawke's Bay and CD will be better and, obviously, it will also help us develop our coaches even more.
"We also get a number of national and international teams playing here at McLean Park but if it's wet, there's nowhere to train. Now they'll have somewhere to go, rather than just being stuck in their hotels twiddling their thumbs.
"From my point of view, although we're not quite there yet, it is very satisfying when you set yourself a goal and you get there."
CRICKET: Bay supremo walks the talk
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