A new pavilion, a white picket fence, and now an electronic scoreboard - Phillip Hughes Oval really is looking the goods after an innings of upgrades. And the junior Bulls are lovin' it.
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The freshly-installed scoreboard is the result of a successful $10,000 application by the Macksville Ex-Services Junior Cricket Club to the McDonald's Junior Grants Program.
Nambucca/Kempsey McDonalds Business Leader Josh Hillier said he was thrilled to finally see the Nambucca Valley score a win from the program.
"We've been looking to do something for this area for a while, but there haven't been too many applications," he said.
"And this will be a great resource to support the community and the kids who are playing."
If the rain holds out long enough, the Bulls' Under 16s will get the first crack at getting some runs on the new board this Friday evening.
Bulls' junior club president Michael Stennett said he was excited about the juniors getting this opportunity.
"It's unreal," he said.
The new scoreboard just adds so much to the spectacle and the atmosphere of the game. And it's a real privilege for them to be able to play on a ground of this quality - no other clubs get to do this with their juniors.
"Other teams really love coming here to play."
He said there'd been a lot of effort behind the scenes to get to this point, and wanted to thank Shane Eadie who went out to bat for the scoreboard grant in the first place.
Dane Luffman was also in the frame, after building the mount the scoreboard sits in. And Busfurb helped to paint it up.
Andrew Holmes designed both the sponsorship sign and the beautiful Phillip Hughes historical marker out the front of the new pavillion.
Macksville's premier cricket venue is already the envy of the region. But there are plans for future bells and whistles to really knock people for six.
The next goal is the installation of some sight screens. And then if all goes well, we might see the Phillip Hughes Oval up in lights.
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Mel Leigh Dee
Mel is a journalist at the Guardian News and is based in Macksville.
Mel is a journalist at the Guardian News and is based in Macksville.
