Andrew Douglas was a sports turf management student at Otago Polytechnic when he was appointed the park's groundsman two years ago. He has since graduated and has brought the grounds up to what is being called an ''impressive'' standard by New Zealand and Otago cricket representatives.
Yesterday, he was awarded a $1000 retrospective scholarship from New Zealand Cricket which will go some way to covering course-related costs that were not covered by his employer, Asplundh. The park's warrant was withdrawn by New Zealand Cricket (NZC) two years ago and an Otago Volts-Northern Knights twenty20 match was moved to the University Oval in Dunedin after groundsman Wayne Walker resigned. The warrant was reinstated a year ago but the draw was already set and Central Otago again missed out on what had been a regular summer event.
Mr Douglas had been appointed the park's groundsman about a week before the decision was made to suspend the warrant. At the time, NZC grounds and facilities manager Ian McKendry said he was unaware of the appointment but the pitch was ''not up to first-class professional level''.
When approached by the Otago Daily Times yesterday, Mr McKendry said the park was ''an impressive ground''.
''There's no doubt that Andrew has done a very good job.''
Otago Cricket chief executive Ross Dykes agreed - ''the whole ground looks like it is being very well cared for''.
''It's given everyone confidence - us, New Zealand Cricket - that we can schedule games there.''
The first game of what he hoped would once again be an annual event will be between the Volts and the Auckland Aces on December 27.
Tourism Central Otago marketing manager Ally Mason said it was great news for the town.
''In its heyday, it certainly attracted people from all over Central Otago. It became a social thing and a great day out, so it's just great [to have it back].''
Mr Dykes said he saw the Christmas twenty20 at Molyneux Park as one of the highlights of the domestic cricket season.
It will remain just that though, a highlight.
He said games would not be taken away from other centres such as Queenstown or Dunedin and rescheduled for Alexandra because the pitch was now up to scratch.
''This is just adding to what is a pretty good portfolio of grounds for Otago cricket.''
