DIY nets again

I'm liking the idea of having my own nets, that I can just bung up in a matter of minutes on a patch of grass or a field. I've come up with a design that I can knock up for around 100 quid that should be pretty robust and last a couple or more seasons that'll go on the roof of my car. For around the same price maybe a smidge more it could easily be a 2 net bay. The initial idea was that we'd use on 5 tree field and with that in mind I've emailed the bloke that's in charge of the fields and pitches in the area to see if that's okay. Normally in the past he's been pretty positive about my mad ideas so I've got my fingers crossed. Having said that I had a look at the Bye Laws on one of the Counicl fields yesterday and it clearly states that you cannot erect temporary structures or even posts without permission. Although loads of football blokes bring their own goal posts with cross bars and nets etc for 7 aside matches and get away with it.

Half expecting a knock back from the council I've been looking at a big roadside verge just across the road from where I live. There's loads of room and it's reasonably flat and has got potential. There's also a small enclosed patch of grass with two goal posts on adjacent to my house as well - that's just big enough too, but the grass is exceptionally uneven and is on a slope. but possibly okay to have a practice on especially if I was to roll it. The main reason I want to do this is so that me and my lads can have a good practice in the summer so in part all this effort does rely on them being enthusiastic enough to warrant the cost and effort. In an ideal world we could use our cricket field but I think we'd be taking the **** a bit setting it up there.

Actually I noticed today they played football on our cricket field so I'll go and have a look later and see how much damage it has sustained. The weather is very mild at the moment so the grass must be starting to grow with some vigour. I also had a look at the local cricket pitch at Laindon see link...


http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCC&cp=sktb94h10wvw&style=b&lvl=1&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&scene=7721332&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&encType=1

To see what work they'd done with their pitch and whether they were top dressing it or cutting it yet and they're not. The outfield, primarily the football pitches have all be aerated by using a tractor with a tining attachment but the cricket pitch seems to have been left. The wickets are all being left at the moment to grow and recover no doubt and I would imagine the ground keeper will wait until we have a run of good weather before he cuts the wickets? I may keep and eye on what he does and see how he goes about it?

Actually this field is an option for us to play cricket on and the groundman is so pro - cricket that he might let us set up our nets on the field adjacent to the cricket pitch (To the right). He's a part of the group of council workers that offered to roll our other makeshift wicket when we used to practice over at another field just a few yards from here. So if we were to use this field and start mowing a wicket I wouldn't put it past him to make a detour with his roller and roll our makeshift wicket if we were to establish one here!