Latest news with #WACricket
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Business
- Perth Now
Perth stadium to get waterslide, aquatic facility
The latest overseas imports for WA cricket have been revealed. More than 450 fibreglass and steel components imported from Turkey are being put in place at the WACA Ground to form its new waterslide. The red fibreglass sections will form the shape of a cricket ball, complete with white stitching along the loop. Your local paper, whenever you want it. Each piece will be meticulously craned-in and then secured by contractor ADCO in the four-week operation, with the arch alone weighing more than 800 kilograms. The waterslide will be tested once installed and is expected to open to the public in November. It is intended to be the centrepiece of the aquatic facility being developed as part of the WACA Ground Improvement Project. Other features will include a six-lane outdoor 50m pool overlooking the pitch, an indoor learn-to-swim pool, and a family-friendly splash pad. The WACA Ground Improvement Project is jointly funded by the Federal and State governments and the City of Perth in partnership with WA Cricket and Cricket Australia as part of the $1.7 billion Perth City Deal.
West Australian
3 days ago
- Sport
- West Australian
WACA Ground redevelopment: WA Cricket want venue to be hub for country's women's team
WA Cricket is making a push for its redeveloped ground to become the heart of women's cricket in Australia. The $170 million redevelopment of the historic WACA Ground — which is now set for completion in November — will host a day-night Test match between Australia and India's women's teams in March next season. It will be the first international match played at the venue after its facelift and just the second Test at the ground since a men's Ashes match in 2017. Sports minister Rita Saffioti was on hand to celebrate the 'topping out' of the ground's new northern pavilion on Friday morning. The project had originally been slated for completion in the middle of the year, but that has now been pushed back to beyond the start of the domestic season. It is likely the ground will be opened in line with Perth's Ashes Test from November 21. That could open the door for England's touring side to use the facility Australian stars Alyssa Healy, Ellyse Perry, Ash Gardner and Western Australia's own Beth Mooney and Alana King are set to star in the Test from March 6. That match will be the WACA Ground's first-ever pink-ball Test. There had been strong momentum when Australia played South Africa at the venue early last year around the prospect of the WACA becoming a regular venue for the national team. The size of the venue, the family-friendly nature of the grass bank, the soon-to-be upgraded facilities make it a strong option for women's internationals, while the fast and bouncy wickets make for entertaining cricket and the timezone means matches are beamed into the east coast in primetime. WA Cricket chief executive John Stephenson said the ground was well placed to host more women's matches. 'I think the WACA Ground 2.0 is going to be the perfect place for women's cricket and Cricket Australia definitely acknowledge that by allocating us a women's Test match,' he said. 'It will be our first pink-ball Test match, day-night women's Test match, which is an incredible thing us historically to be staging. 'One of our priorities is developing women's cricket, so everything we do here benefits Cricket Australia. The West Australian understands Cricket Australia had been keen to host the clash with India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground — after the success of last year's Ashes match there — but the schedule meant the match would be played too close to the start of the AFL season. Perry — Australia's highest-profile women's cricketer — is among the top players that have pushed for more matches to be played in Perth. The redevelopment of the facility includes the public pool and gymnasium, the nation-leading indoor cricket nets, function space and new public viewing areas.
