Falcon hybrid cricket pitch wins major industry award

Monday, 28 August 2023 11:11

By Monique Welhan

The hybrid pitch at Falcon Oval. PIC: EC Images

The hybrid H3 turf cricket pitch installed at Falcon Oval has recently won a major industry award.

The hybrid pitch, created by Gabba Sporting Products, took out the Sports Innovation Award at the Australian Sport, Recreation and Play Innovation Awards last month.

In October 2020, the South Mandurah Cricket Club was the first club in community cricket across Australia to install the pitch at Falcon Oval, putting Mandurah on the national sporting stage.

Advantages of the hybrid pitch over the traditional grass pitch include being $50,000 cheaper to set up and install, only needing two hours to prepare instead of 10 and it uses 80 per cent less water.

Data collected by South Mandurah Cricket Club from the last two cricket seasons has shown the hybrid H3 pitch has continued to match the performance markers of a traditional grass pitch.

Since 2020, the global excitement surrounding the hybrid H3 pitch has grown.

In Vanuatu, all international cricket is played on hybrid H3 pitches and there are currently 22 hybrid pitches being installed in the USA.

The upcoming Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup in the USA in 2024 will also be played on a hybrid H3 pitch.

South Mandurah Cricket Club President Gerard Leddin said the recent award and the global development of this pitch technology means huge things for Club and Western Australian cricket.

“Three years ago we were the first club in Australia to invest in this technology, we had our doubters regarding how it would play compared to a standard turf pitch," he said.

"Well the last two seasons we have answered that and now this pitch is going global with International Cricket being played on it.

"We have no doubt we will see more hybrid pitches in local cricket within the next few years and that is a huge advantage for local cricket and the environment given the water savings.”

The new Peel Cricket season starts on Saturday, October 7.