Fans coming through the gates of Kingsmead Stadium on Saturday for the Durban Heat’s first game of the Mzansi Super League will be struck by a host of new developments at the ground.

KwaZulu-Natal Cricket Union chief executive officer Heinrich Strydom took the chance to unveil the first phase of the elaborate plan to revitalise Kingsmead ahead of a full summer at the Durban Heat’s season launch on Wednesday, when guests got to meet the team at the brand new food court behind the East Grandstand.

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Along with this revamp, the food court on the Castle Corner side of the ground has also had a significant face-lift while the next phase of the upgrade involves improvements to other facilities and services throughout the ground.

‘These upgrades are all part of a plan to celebrate cricket in the province through its rich history,’ Strydom said.

‘We have plans to commemorate some of the province’s greatest cricketers and iconic moments that have made Kingsmead one of the most renowned cricket grounds in the country.

‘There have been changes to two of the pitches on the square, we have upgraded the change rooms, umpires area, moved the waste centre area from next to the practice facilities, which have also had an upgrade.

There are also a number of other upgrades planned that you will see throughout the year. We have some incredibly passionate people that are sharing their vision with me and as we move along we are going to turn Kingsmead Stadium into an incredible place to play and watch cricket.’

The project is all part of Strydom’s philosophical approach to his job at the helm of cricket in the province.

‘We are merely custodians of this great game and we need to leave it in a better position than when we found it,’ he added.

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