Topeka Cricket Ground
The Official Home Ground for the Greater Kansas Cricket Club
The Topeka cricket ground is the first cricket field to be developed in the Greater Kansas Area comprising of Johnson, Douglas, Shawnee Counties and Manhattan, KS. With its affiliation to the Midwest Cricket league, it has opened the doors for other teams to come and enjoy cricket. The ground measures around at about 80 yards on the longer sides and about 70 yards on the leg and off sides. The ground is maintained periodically by the City's parks and recreation dept.
GKCC chose to call Auburndale Park its home for a couple of reasons. The ground is excellent to play cricket. It is flat, leveled and big enough on all sides for an evenly spaced boundary. It's visibility from the Interstate promotes Cricket within town by generating curiosity and awareness. Today GKCC has players from over ten different countries playing for it.
Location of Topeka Cricket Ground
Cricket Field at Auburndale Park,
2400 NW Perry Street,
Topeka, KS 66606.
Follow this link for map and directions to the cricket field.
The following ground picture was taken in early 2003 before any pitch construction.
In the summer of 2003 the first pitch was constructed on the ground. The batting pitch was 33ft X 8ft concrete with a Jute Half Mat on top. It favored bounce and fast bowlers very much, and was very helpful to spinners in turning the ball.
The following ground picture was taken in summer 2003 after the half pitch construction was complete
With growing needs and demand of the club and league it became very important that the half pitch be converted to a full pitch. With constant work, volunteering and enough fund raising GKCC has now (Summer of 2006) added on to the existing half pitch. The batting pitch is now a full 66ft X 8ft concrete with an oudoor cricket mat on top. It favors bounce and fast bowlers very much, and is very helpful to spinners in turning the ball. In addition to the pitch an extra 7ft X 8ft pad on either side of the pitch was added to give bowler a good steady step into the release of the ball. This makes the full pitch an enormous 80ft X 8ft with the outdoor cricket mat covering all the concrete.
The following ground picture was taken in April 2006 after the full pitch construction and matting was complete
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GKCC has been congratulated by many players in the Midwest Cricket League on having the best ground in the league and we are proud to have developed the ground further to enhance each and everyones cricketing experience here at the Home Ground of Greater Kansas Cricket Club.
In the near future we also plan to install a screen behind the bowlers on either side to give batters a better view and avoid distraction.