Reconstruction work nearing completion - final stage - the cricket square
Once the seed had germinated it was up to Nathan, under the guidance of Rob, to maintain the pitches until they became playable.
The football pitch and rugby pitch
were brought into play in the autumn of 2006, whereas the cricket will not be ready for play until this season.
construction works.
THIS arrangement began in 2005 when ATB won the tender to reconstruct the whole site after the
London Bombings in July 2005. The HAC site was used as a temporary mortuary with marquees erected over three quarters of the playing field. These were on site for over three months resulting in most of the playing surfaces being completely ruined. Grass cover was lost and the pitches were also compacted and contaminated.
In the November of that year Rob
Kendle of ATB began the job of overseeing the reconstruction of the sports fields and the building of a brand new cricket square. The main challenge was to ensure the work carried out would culminate in the outfields and pitch areas being playable by the following April. The site was then Koro fraise mowed to
take the top 15 mm of old vegetation off. Cultivations were limited to 75mm. The whole area was then powered harrowed, regraded and levelled. 300 tonnes of 70/30 rootzone materials were ameliorated into the surface and the area was pre-fertilised and reseeded with ATB 1 Rye grass seed mixture at a rate of 40- 45 g/m2
.
The football and rugby seasons run from September through to April, however the football pitch is closed down after November. The reason for this is that the HAC run a number of corporate events at the ground requiring marquees to be erected and left up
for between 8-12 weeks, resulting in a total loss of grass cover. So, back come ATB Sports Solutions in the first week of January to completely renovate, cultivate and reseed.
The winter pitches are well used by the
HAC regiment teams and also hired out for corporate games. On average each pitch stages 25 plus games per season coupled with training and practice matches. Work on the cricket square did not start until April 2006 when the whole square was relaid and extended by a further two wickets. The work involved Koroing off 50mm of the old loam, resetting levels and redressing with 75mm of new Ongar loam. The square was then reseeded with ATB 4 ryegrass mix of Sauvignon, Jessica and Evita at a rate of 50 g /m2
.
The new cricket square will certainly test Nathan’s skills; pre-season rolling begins with the Dennis Mower, gradually increasing the weight until weather and ground conditions are right for using the
heavier roller. However, the true test will be when the matches commence. Nathan and Rob will be keen to see how the new squares perform this summer. A 10-14 day wicket preparation regime will be undertaken to ensure the wickets are prepared for play.
NATHAN uses a Toro triple cylinder mower as well as a 36 inch Dennis cylinder mower. Mowing regimes are dependant on usage and weather conditions. On average, during the summer, he will mow at least twice a week. Cutting height will vary but, in the summer, he keeps the outfield maintained at around 15mm. Since his arrival Nathan has gradually
improving the equipment at the grounds. Having recently purchased the Toro Triple, 36 inch Dennis and a Kubota tractor, he is keen to replace his existing roller with a new Auto Roller. Nathan often works long hours in the summer, starting at 6am and not finishing until late in the evening just to accommodate summer fixtures and events. Working at the Honourable Artillery Company is all about providing quality
pitches in a unique environ- ment. Nathan reckons it is never boring as he never knows what the next
challenge might be. As if to illustrate his point, whilst I was there, two helicopters land on the rugby pitch. It is Nathan’s responsibility to ensure the landing area is marked and safely cordoned off. A Groundsman’s work is never done!
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mowing time 41
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