MONTHS after being left a soggy mess from the January floods, Bichel Oval in Laidley is well on its way to being one of the best pitches in the Lockyer Valley.

After securing a grant of close to $60,000 as part of the Flood Fightback Plan from Sport and Recreation Queensland, the cricket pitch is on schedule to be ready for players in the 2011 cricket season.

The cricket pitch will also be bigger and better than ever with a new irrigation system, two new pitches and covers, new nets and a bowling machine.

Secretary of the Laidley Cricket Club Michael Sippel said construction on the field started two months ago and had come a long way since the floods.

“It’s very satisfying to see and has the potential to be one of the best fields in the district,” he said.

“It was a lot of hard work to get to where we are now with the field.”

Mr Sippel said construction on the field would be finished within a month with the cricket season set to start in October, however, the association has agreed to allow Laidley to play its first few home games at other grounds in order to allow the Laidley field time to recover.

The Laidley Cricket Club junior sign-on starts today with all encouraged to become involved with the club.