CRICKET Albury-Wodonga supremo Michael Erdeljac says the case for chasing cash to complete stage two of the regional training centre of excellence at Birallee Park is a compelling one.
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The funding bid involves five players including Wodonga and Albury councils, which will be the biggest contributors with matching amounts of $137,500, under the proposed mix.
Albury Council has to commit before mid-March.
"It is obviously a big building in an open area and other works need to be done," he said.
"We've always said it was a two stage project and you can't do the outdoor project until the indoor part is completed.
"If we miss this application the earliest we can do stage two will be 2022-23 and that is too far away for us."
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Stage two works include four hard practice wickets, six turf practice wickets with grassed fielding and bowling run-up areas.
Mr Erdeljac said the facility was already unique in that it had secured funding from two councils and two cricket bodies in different states.
"I might be being greedy here, but I always think it is good to have something completed rather than not completed," he said.
"Patience is not a virtue I own a lot of and if there is cricket funding there we should be chasing it.
"We are trying to complete a centre of excellence which will also cater for children from Wangaratta, Benalla, Yarrawonga, Myrtleford, Mount Beauty and Corryong on the Victorian side and Corowa, Holbrook, Lockhart, Urana, Wagga and Griffith."
Wodonga Council was going to forego applying for the outdoor cricket facilities funding due to other sporting priorities and development of Baranduda Fields sporting precinct.
Albury has previously contributed $150,000 to the indoor training centre which will complement the Lavington Sportsground redevelopment when completed, according to Mr Erdeljac.
