Sandair - The Home of Cockermouth Cricket Club.

The many hundreds of players to represent Cockermouth Cricket Club since its formation in 1823, have been fortunate to play upon the hallowed turf of Sandair.. The nature of change being what it is, has seen dramatic alterations throughout the history of the famous ground and plans are currently in the pipeline to further develop the changing room facilities and the access for disabled players and supporters.

The Location of Sandair:

Sandair is located on the Gote Road, Cockermouth (pronounced Goat Road). It is situated on the main road leading out of the town towards Carlisle and Maryport. The entrance to the ground is notoriously difficult to navigate, especially when exiting onto the road again. The ground is two hundred yards from the River Derwent, which caused catastrophic damage during the floods of 2005, flooding the pavilion, scorebox and ground.

Below are some pictures of the entrance to the ground:

The Practice Facilities:

Upon entering the ground, almost immediately on the right hand side, are the practice facilities. Three artificial nets of varying bounce were installed during the mid-nineties at a cost of £24,000. Part of this was funded by grants gained by the success of the junior sides from the early nineties. The nets are used on Tuesday's and Thursday's from 6pm until 8pm by the senior teams and on other nights by the club's junior sections.

Below are some pictures of the practice facilities:

The Groundsman's Sheds / Garage:

Past the nets, on the left of the road, are the groundsman's facilities. Raymond Denham is the man in charge of all things ground and he does a fantastic job. The rolling of the wickets is done by Ken White and a new roller has just been purchased as he burned the old one out! The grass cutting equipment and tractors, can all be stored perfectly within the sheds and garages.

Below are pictures of the groundsman's sheds and garages:

The Playing Squares:

There are three playing squares at Sandair. The main square is consists of eleven wickets and is where the 1st XI, 2nd XI and 3rd XI's play their fixtures. The Under 15 square runs parallel to the main square and is situated at the far side of the artificial wicket. The Under 11 and Under 13 square faces west to east on the ground and sits nearer at the Town End.

The wickets at Cockermouth are quite good. They are often quite 'green' looking, so therefore seam around early on, but they have usually have reasonable pace and bounce.

Below are pictures of the Squares:

The Pavilion:

The pavilion's exterior has recently undergone a facelift, with a new patio area being installed outside the bar. This will shortly be filled with picnic benches, parasols and seats, so that people can sit outside and enjoy the cricket and their refreshments in comfort! This has enhanced the existing club rooms, which are available for functions (click here more information) of all varieties. The well-stocked bar make the pavilion the ideal stop off for a weekend drink!

There are currently two changing rooms and shower areas, this is going to be re-examined as part of the club's development plan.

Below are some pictures of the pavilion:

The Scorebox:

Very little has changed here in the past twenty years, personnel excepted! Legendary 'chalker' and Life Member John Ellis hung up his pens around ten years ago, having being Cockermouth's 'top scorer' for over thirty-five years. A true gentleman and cricket fanatic, it's always great to see John down at sandair wearing his sheepskin coat and cossack hat, whatever the weather!

The scoreboard is still very functional, but there has been talk of modernisation over the years.

Below are some pictures of the scorebox: