Council comes under more pressure

Masterton District Council is under more pressure to enhance the quality of sports grounds within their bounds.
Hard on the back of criticism from some sectors of the football community at the poor state of ground conditions at the Pugh Sports Bowl and the Park Sportsground comes similar harsh words from their cricketing counterparts.
In his annual report to the recent annual meeting of the Wairarapa Cricket Association management committee chairman Grant Perry said there were still problems with timing and understanding of the processes required to provide genuine top class wickets.
And the WCA was continuing to pursue a more proactive involvement from the company contracted to the council for the upkeep of the pitches to ensure better lead in processes and to ensure pitches were available when required.
Mr Perry said the WCA remained dissatisfied "as to ground quality and the number and preparation of adequate grass wickets"
Other points made by Mr Perry were:-
n Careful planning and expense management ensured a stable financial position at year end with a modest surplus. Funding for the WCA is adequate but leaves little opportunity for capital or development expenditure.
n Wairarapa will remain in limbo in relation to hosting any future State competition games, which is "a continued disappointment for all". Along with a preference by New Zealand Cricket and Central Districts to host games in major centres with air links such as Napier and New Plymouth capital costs to upgrade grounds is clearly prohibitive. Even if the Wairarapa region was able to generate sufficient capital for a major ground development there is no warranty the area would be allocated matches.
n The Wairarapa senior men's team completed a happy and successful Hawke Cup season with a very young and inexperienced side achieving above expectations. Seth Rance was selected for the CD Stags.
n The Milo junior programme was successful with a record number of participants.
n The women's representative season was again shelved due to a lack of interest and the clash of the CD schedule with NCEA exams. Women's cricket is based around two key school sides and one club side who all struggle for numbers. Women's representative cricket is doubtful again for 2009-10 although the profile will be helped by the appointment of Doug Bracewell as coach of the CD Hinds.
n The Wairarapa Cricket Umpires Association has a very strong, loyal and capable membership of six and contributes strongly to regional match schedules.
n The WCA worked with the Wairarapa Sports Education Trust to work out a feasible future for the local cricket academy which folded in 2007-08. Joint efforts are being made to reinstate a new academy concept for 2009-10, at time of writing this appears unlikely given the time limitations.
n The JCB completed a full representative calendar and also featured a dinner for more than 200 players and parents which is self funding. This was a highlight of the season.
n The senior men's inter-club competition last season was keenly contested to the end although the number of genuine senior cricketers around remains a concern, as does the player strength within the clubs.
n An expanded coaching programme is in place utilising local expertise and CD coaches.
n A Wairarapa cricket website was developed towards the end of last season. It will be fully operational for the coming season with up-to-date draws, results and points table, as well as other cricket news.
n The WCA will require some new blood in terms of committee members and management in the immediate future. The need for "cricket people" and motivated parents to put something back into the game is obvious, rather than rely on the current volunteers to take a greater workload.