GEORGE NEWS - The 100-year-old Pacaltsdorp United Cricket Club (PUCC) scored a ‘hat-trick’ on Heritage Day when George deputy mayor Lionel Esau officially opened a newly rehabilitated pitch at the Pacaltsdorp Sports Club.
The pitch had previously been used as a borrow pit (open excavation) to provide infill for new roads in Pacaltsdorp.

"The municipality spent more than R1-million over a four-year period on earthworks and providing infrastructure for the cricket club. It is fitting that we are opening the pitch for play on Heritage Day so that it can become a legacy for future generations of young cricketers," said Esau.

He added that the impact of this new cricket pitch in Pacaltsdorp will add to George’s quality sports infrastructure.
"Since 2003, George municipality has been upgrading the sports facilities in Pacaltsdorp, Blanco, Rosemoor, Thembalethu and Touwsranten, in line with our vision of George being the sports mecca of the Southern Cape."

One of the main pivotal forces behind the reinstatement of the pitch is Henry Jansen, chairman of the Pacaltsdorp Sports Club, the umbrella body under which the PUCC resorts. "By 1996 it was apparent that we needed to move the existing cricket pitch away from between the rugby posts, as the cricket league matches were overlapping with rugby league matches. It was decided then to close the pit and move the pitch back to its former place," said Jansen. He said that rubble from the upgrading project of nearby Beach Road was used to close up the pit and local contractors such as Loyiso Civils, Terblanche Transport, Sauer Plant Hire, Henro and Tip-a-Ton Plant Hire also gave their services free to shape the pitch.

The South Western District (SWD) Cricket Board provided funding from the Lotto to shape the pitch, provide side screens, nets, boundary ropes and pitch covers. Albertus Kennedy SWD Cricket CEO, commented: "We provided R300 000 from the Lotto for the cricket pitch to assist the PUCC in becoming a hub and training facility for cricketers and especially for the youth from nearby Pacaltsdorp High School who can use the facility to prepare themselves to become professionals."
Leroy Hector, PUCC president, added that 100 years ago the first cricket ball was fielded on the pitch and Heritage Day 2010 will always be remembered as the day that cricket was again played on the historic site.


Open for play! From the left are Albertus Kennedy (CEO SWD Cricket), councillor Iona Kritzinger, deputy mayor Lionel Esau, Henry Jansen (Pacaltsdorp Sports Club chairman), Kidron Kaboni (department of environment and sport) and Rudi Claassen (SWD Cricket chairman).