Lovers of the sound of leather on willow in Tauranga's fastest growing suburb will soon have the chance to play under their own banner at one of the Western Bay's finest grounds.

Papamoa Cricket Club is fast coming together, and is expected to become a force in the game as their inaugural season launches from October.

An AGM is to be held in late August, where a president will be elected and a committee established. Calls for player registrations will follow on from that.

The club will be based at Alice Johnson Oval - a dedicated cricket venue adjacent to Gordon Spratt Reserve created on land donated by Alice and Lewknor Johnson, who farmed there from 1953. The oval was developed by their family in 2007.

Paul Dunn is a Papamoa local who's pushed hard for the formation of the club and been heavily involved in the planning stages. He says it will be a special thing for the seaside suburb.

'The Alice Johnson Trust gifted the land for the purpose of cricket,” he says.

'There's a real need for the club to be established, simply because of the number of people who play cricket in the area. The facilities are there already, such as the nets, and the big thing is it's dedicated as a cricket ground from the trust.”

In its Long Term Plan, Tauranga City Council has promised $725,000 for the construction of a cricket pavilion building at the oval within the next five years – a prospect that has strong appeal in the game, says Paul.

'Once that gets out there people will be excited about that,” he says.

'What the trust really want is probably the dream of every cricketer – the white picket fence, the trees around the boundary and the pavilion.”

For now, though, the embryonic club is looking for prospective players and volunteers to help put the wheels in motion.

'I've just sent emails to schools in the Papamoa region telling them what we're doing,” says Western Bay of Plenty Cricket Association's Don Warner. His organisation is putting its full weight behind the formation of the club.

'We're offering to send coaches into schools to do some work at lunchtimes and during the day with the kids.

'We want to have a junior club registration day on 29th September. Northern Districts are going to send over a couple of Knights players, so there'll be some activities and drills for kids and a barbecue.

'We hope to be in a position to field about five or six junior teams. At the moment it's a matter of getting that message out there.”

Don says he's very keen for new parents and volunteers to get in touch with him to put their hands up and help.

The club also has big ambitions for its senior side, says Paul.

'We already have very strong interest at senior level, with two teams looking likely in B grade, and possibly a team in reserve grade as well.”

He says they're wary of over-promising, but long term they'd like to see the club field a premier grade team, depending on the council committing to install a grass wicket block at the oval.

Paul is keen to emphasise they're not looking to undermine their neighbours, the long-established Mount Maunganui Cricket Club.

'We're not targeting them,” he says. 'We're looking for people who aren't playing cricket at the moment. They can now start because it's easy.

'It'll probably create rivalry between the two clubs, which will be friendly and a good competition to have.”

Longtime Mount stalwart Hamish MacMillan doesn't see an issue from his club's side either.

'Anything that grows cricket in the Bay of Plenty is a good thing,” he says. There could be some natural migration of players, he believes, but he doesn't see the clubs competing for numbers.

'It's about making sure people have facilities close to them so they can enjoy the game.”

Paul believes Papamoa has the chance to create a major asset for itself. 'If it's done right from the start it'll be a legacy left by the Alice Johnson Trust, which is good for the community.

'Keep an eye out for registrations,” he urges. 'This will be the inaugural year of the Papamoa Cricket Club and if you want to be a foundation member, this is the year.”

Junior registration day will be Saturday, September 29.

To become involved in the Papamoa Cricket Club as a player or a volunteer, call Don Warner on: 021 307 7081, or email: wbopca@gmail.com