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A Wanaka man has built a private sports ground on his property for his cricket-mad mates and now he wants to share his prized playing field with the whole community.
Former Dunedinites Matt Strang and his wife Polly ‘‘had an epiphany'' while on their honeymoon in France a couple of years ago - to ‘‘buy a place and get away from the rat race''.
Spotting an opening in the market, Mr Strang sold the South Canterbury, Otago and Southland franchises of his home-ventilation business about six months ago and acquired the Central Lakes branch of the same company.
The couple had already bought 5.6ha of land near Wanaka and named it Auribeau de Buci - after two places they visited in France. Mr Strang said the name meant ‘‘place of fresh air'', a subtle reference to his business.
While the couple's dream home is yet to be built, priority number one on the property is already complete.
Blending his professional passion for fresh air and his social and sporting interests, Mr Strang has created a purpose-built cricket ground over half of his land.
‘‘I've got a very understanding wife. She's got quite a furniture credit now,'' cricket fanatic Mr Strang said.
He began work on the ground about 18 months ago with the help of a local contractor.
About 600 pine trees have been removed, 4000 to 5000 native trees planted, the playing outfield cleared and levelled, 500m of irrigation pipes laid and dense scrub and riverbank land replaced with turf grass.
For the wicket block, Mr Strang shipped up 60 tonnes of Kakanui clay, which is used on international cricket venues throughout Otago and further afield. ‘‘We haven't taken any shortcuts.
‘‘The pitch is definitely the full quid.'' Mr Strang has plenty of club cricket behind him and was a long-serving member of the Dunedin Cavaliers, who are scheduled to play their annual Butch Faulks Memorial Trophy match against Luggate at Mr Strang's new ground in January 2010.
He also belongs to a team known as the Southern XI which includes television personality Marc Ellis.
The group of ‘‘close-knit'' friends had been playing a ‘‘very serious social'' style of cricket together for about 10 years and usually played an annual game in Tauranga.
The team fondly refer to their new Wanaka venue as the SCG, or ‘‘Strang Cricket Ground''.
The Southern XI played in Buenos Aires, where Marc Ellis now lives, in October last year.
Just a month ago, they took Wanaka's own SCG for its debut run against an Asia-Pacific invitational team.
‘‘The players were blown away,'' Mr Strang said.
‘‘It was very successful. The pitch was fabulous, better than expected, so I'm really excited.
‘‘I've had Robbie Lawson, the ex-Otago captain, out here and he was very impressed and said it reminded him of Lancaster Park.''
The next Southern XI vs Asia Pacific XI match is scheduled for March 2010.
Southern XI team members have donated a four-tonne roller and two mowers and Mr Strang has appointed himself chief curator of the ground, which will be continually developed.
The ultimate goal is to turn it into ‘‘one of the most beautiful grounds in the country''.
After a few more trial games, Mr Strang plans to open up the ground for local clubs to use, as well as for young cricketers in the community who may not have ever played on a grass pitch before.
‘‘It has the potential to be used every weekend,'' Mr Strang said.
Additionally, the Otago cricket team has expressed interest in using the ground for pre-season training because of the difficulty in gaining access to grass pitches in the offseason.
Mr Strang hopes to host some ‘‘high-level charity-type games'' as well. ‘‘It's here to be used,'' he said.
‘‘Rather than just be selfish and keep it to my mates I might as well share it around.''
- Clubs or schools interested in gaining access to Matt Strang's cricket ground can contact him on 027 428-9478.
