KCA's High-Performance Centre at Palace Oval

KOCHI: The Palace Oval ground, Tripunithura, is all set to become Kerala Cricket Association's (KCA) High-Performance Centre. The Tripunithura Cricket Club, the custodians of the ground, have agreed in principle to lease out the ground to KCA.
The KCA's Centre of Excellence programme will be overhauled and remodelled into a High-Performance Centre under the vision of current Kerala coach and former Aussie cricketer Dav Whatmore.Though Whatmore won't be here on a full-time basis, former India pacer and Kerala's bowling coach Tinu Yohannan and ex-Kerala coach P Balachandran will be overseeing the activities at the Centre.
With this the Palace Oval ground, which has a rich cricketing legacy, is bound to get a face-lift. The ground itself will get a makeover while the KCA plans to make the indoor practice facilities at the Centre more robust. The KCA also plans to add more practice wickets at the Centre which would help them organise camps for Ranji Trophy and junior level cricketers at the Centre. "It's the centenary year of KV Kelappan Thampuran and the High Performance Centre would be our tribute to him. On Saturday afternoon, Ravi Achan, one of the pioneers of Kerala cricket and who has played alongside Kelappan Thampuran, will officially launch the activities of the High Performance Centre at Tripunithura Cricket Club," said Jayesh George.
Though KCA will take control of the Palace Oval ground, the Pooja Cricket Tournament, held annually will continue to take place at the ground.