They're famous for being the home of the great Sir Donald Bradman but Bowral Cricket Club's facilities have long left much to be desired.
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That all changed last week however when Chairman Peter de Hosson answered his phone and heard the news that the club would receive $60,000 for the redevelopment of Stephens Park cricket nets.
De Hosson said it was a major win for cricket in the Southern Highlands.
"I can't believe it! I got a notification on Friday but I had to keep it quiet until I got the official letter today," he told the Southern Highland News.
"We're really proud of it. It's a huge coup, not just for the club, but for the community as a whole.
"We live in an area infamous for cricket because of the Bradman name but when you look around the district there's actually not many facilities available, especially for a community that's expanding at a rapid rate.
"To be able to deliver this in Bowral itself is going to make Stephens Park a far more enjoyable facility for all sports."
The nets have been an eyesore for years and De Hosson said the club had a responsibility to do something about it for the benefit of the community.
"They're horrible, absolutely disgusting," he said.
"The wire is all broken, they're essentially in complete disrepair and almost unusable. This is probably 10 years overdue. I took on the Presidency last year with a mind to continue to redevelop facilities throughout the community where we can.
"I think as sporting clubs we have a responsibility to do that and to engage the community as much as we possibly can. We're really proud to take this project on.
"We had to engage a lot of people. We had support from the Bowral Soccer Club, I thank Stuart and the guys for their support, Bowral Blues Cricket Club gave us some support as well.
"We also had Tony Springett, whose grandfather is Alfred Stephens, which was nice having that personal touch."
The club won't be resting on their laurels however with registration numbers through the roof following October's resumption of community sport.
De Hosson said they had seen an increase in local interest following the COVID pandemic and would field six senior sides including a women's team.
"Our registrations this year are the biggest we've ever seen," he revealed.
"Our junior program is completely chock-a-block with the exception of the Junior and Master Blasters program (ages 6-8). They're still open because we can take up to 100 there, we have about 50-60 now.
"But also I think with the recent lockdowns people have looked to engage locally rather than travelling to Sydney and other areas. That's driving registrations for our club, we're about 20 per cent up from last year.
"It's good news all round."
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