GROUNDS
We regularly use two grounds: one in Valburga near Ljubljana, and one in Velden, Austria. We are also looking to move to a new ground near the centre of Ljubljana (Nove Fuzine) with its own facilities. However, for the time being, all friendlies are played at Valburga, and almost all league matches are played at Velden.
 

Valburga
This picturesque cricket ground can be found in the small village of Valburga about 11kms from the heart of Ljubljana. For details on how to find it, please have a look at the following map. Most touring teams take taxis for the 25 minute drive.

 

From The Smlednik School End

 

 From The Valburga End

 
From Widwicket (hill side) From Widwicket (road side)

Velden

This stunning cricket ground is actually the home ground of Velden CC, which is an Austrian Club. It is just on the other side of the Karavanke Mountains, an hour by car from Ljubljana. Velden CC and LJCC share a long a friendly history.

What a backdrop!

 

 Ringed by corn fields.

 
Towards the spectators Down the valley

Practice Nets -

 

The map above shows the village of Polje. The main road going left to right is Zaloška cesta, and the main road running vertically down the middle of the map is Zadobrovska.

 

Bus routes:

 

From central Ljubljana, probably the best option is bus 11, which runs about every 10 minutes. It goes from Ježica to Zalog. To get to the nets, make sure you get on a bus that says 'Zalog' on it.

 

The closest bus stop to the nets is probably Cesta na Vevče. The bus stop opposite the church at the junction of Zaloška and Zadobrovska is called Polje. The stop on the far left of the map is Studenec.

 

Alternatively, bus 12 goes from Bežigrad to Vevče, or bus 10 from Kongresni trg to Zadobrova.

 

To help with orientation, the bus stops on the map (pink dots) are (left to right):

 

Studenec

Polje

(on Zaloška cesta)

Polje

(on Zadobrovska cesta)

Cesta na Vevče

Bus 10, 11

Bus 10, 11

Bus 10, 12

Bus 11, 12
 

 Here are a couple of pictures of them being used to help you find them (if you are new to cricket perhaps)

New recruit Roman is shown "how to do it" by club veteran Rob Crawford. Not too shabby technique actually.

This shot was a little worse though, here new player Sanjay hits Roman's stumps. Keeper Greg Davies no doubt has a word to him about it.

 
 
Although Ljubljana Cricket Club had a "season to forget" on the playing fields of Central Europe, off the field had some major highlights. For the first time in the club's history we procured a permanent fixed training facility in the shape of two practice nets near Osnovna Šola Polje in Ljubljana. With Mark and Vinko Oman leading the way with the swinging, chopping and hacking with various tools we managed to turn a site in the corner of a baseball field into a workable pair of nets.
 
It was first necessary to pull down an enormous section of fence and to move a 10 ton container, as well as some very heavy scaffolding from a building project at the school, in addition to having to clear up various pieces of rubbish and plantlife (which to our joy included quite a lot of stinging nettle!). Once that was done digging took place (despite various buggy-like machines conking out on us at crucial moments) and then finally a work party of various cricketers was obtained to fill in the holes with sand and gravel before the concrete could be laid. Eventually after many blisters and backaches the nets were in a finished state and were used for training for the national squad before their departure for the tournament in Belgium.
 
It is hoped that we can use these net facilities to train the children we introduce cricket to each year, as they are mainly from 3 schools very near to the nets site. It is also hoped that we may be able to co-operate in some way with the baseball team who also train there.
 
Here are some pictures taken during the construction in early August.
 

Here we can see the site as we found it.

The large white container would be our biggest headache. How do you move a 10 ton object that big?

Vinko scratches his head in dismay."You want me to tear down all of this? You've got to be kidding!"

 

Here we can see the view over the pitcher's mound of the baseball field. They are more than happy to share their field with other guys who hit balls with bats.

Vinko gives 1000 insurance companies a heart attack as he begins to cut down the metal structure attached to the school.

 

Mark also shows great regard for safety equipment as he begs "Let me have a go." Not shown is petrified cameraman Brad observing the project from the safety of a zoom lens.

"Work you lazy cricketers. You might even get a tiny bit fitter."

Steve Mayland, Tom and Dan Ryan, Dave Ibbotson and Mark Oman do their best council worker impressions, as they replace a broken bulldozer to fill in the gravel and sand to go under the concrete.