Artificial practice pitches will be available to all clubs who want them for the start of the next cricket season, Bermuda Cricket Board announced yesterday.

BCB president Reggie Pearman, back at the helm of local cricket’s governing body after an extended period abroad dealing with heart problems, said the pitches would be paid for from the money donated by Texas billionaire Allen Stanford in the run-up to the Stanford 20-20 tournament in Antigua last July.

He was keen to stress, however, that league and cup cricket would continue to be played on grass wickets for the time being, with the newly-laid artificial surfaces to be used just for practice as well as junior club and inter-school matches.

The pitches have been purchased from UK-based company Notts Sports, the same firm that laid the artificial strip at the National Sports Centre for the 20-20 World Cricket Classic in April last year.

On top of this, $20,000 of new training equipment has also been bought by the BCB and donated to each of the Island’s 16 cricket clubs.

“We remain committed to the development of cricket at all levels in Bermuda, not just the national team,” the BCB’s academy director Wendell Smith said.