St Lawrence on course for grand opening

IT'S been months of dirt, noise and aggravation and with the cricket season just weeks away, Canterbury's St Lawrence ground is still not quite up to scratch. 

The renovation of Kent's home turf has seen a number of additions, including flood lights to keep matches running until late in the evening - which is particularly useful during winter's shorter days.

But with the £10 million project still in full force, supporters and players will not be able to reap the rewards until later this year.

Jamie Clifford, Kent County Cricket’s chief executive, said: "Well, we're in the first phase of a three-phase project - a £10 million project - and the first phase should conclude in the next month or so.

"We've done quite a considerable amount of work, we've put up floodlights, renovated the players' dressing rooms, renovated the pavilion, there's a new conference facility, and we have new bars, new hospitality boxes and some general landscaping right round the ground. That's the end of phase one.

"Phase two will be an administration building and phase three is a hotel."

With quite a considerable amount of construction still to take place; Mr Clifford was confident that the pitch itself would be ready for action on the first home match of the new season.

While Kent visits Essex on April 8, they welcome Gloucestershire later in the same month, looking to improve from last season's poor Twenty20 performances.

For moving images of the St Lawrence ground construction, click the following VT.