Laurence Gale MSc meets up with Steve Birks, Head Groundsman at Trent Bridge to catch up on latest developments at the third oldest Test ground in the world
STAND and DELIVER ... A
recent trip to Nottingham gave me the opportunity to catch up with Steve Birks, Head Groundsman at
the County Cricket Ground. I was keen to find out more about the new multi-million redevelopment project to expand the capacity of Trent Bridge and build more top-class facilities for players and spectators. Trent Bridge is the home of Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club. It is recognised as one of the finest cricket
must have been keen on cricket - and, within a year, was hosting matches on a newly created, fenced off, cricket ground alongside the pub. Considered by many players and spectators to be one of the most pleasant in England, the architecture of the ground has been kept within the parameters set by the pavilion which was built in 1886. Trent Bridge held its first international
cricket match in June 1899, between England and Australia, the game ending
“The old stands were broken down and crushed and now form the haul road around the boundary edge”
venues anywhere in the world and has hosted County and Test cricket since 1899 making it the world’s third oldest Test ground.
The founder, William Clarke, saw the potential of a quaint little meadow at the back of the Trent Bridge Inn in 1838. He married the landlady, Mary Chapman -
78
in a draw. It was the first of a five-match Test series in which W.G. Grace played his last Test at the age of 50 years and 320 days when the series ended; only Wilfred Rhodes played Test cricket at a greater age, and he made his debut in the same game!
November 2006 saw the unveiling of an
impressive £8.2m upgrade, with a new stand to replace the West Wing and Parr Stand on the Bridgford Road side of the ground.
This will raise the capacity from 15,358
to more than 17,000. The club are also installing six permanent floodlights and building a new office block for match day officials and administration staff. There will also be a new electronic
scoreboard on the office block that will act as a replay screen during major matches. Work began in late August with contractors Clegg Construction setting up the site, including a compound area for vehicles, erecting fencing and hoardings around the ground and removing all the seats from the West Wing and Parr Stand. These have been donated to local sports clubs and the small scoreboard, that was located in the Parr Stand, has also been donated to another local cricket ground. Work has continued at a rapid rate following the demolition of the two stands and the old office block. The old stands were broken down on site using a concrete crusher and now form the haul road that currently runs three quarters of the way around the boundary edge to allow deliveries to the site. The project is scheduled to be completed in time for next season with the new stand officially opening for the npower Test with New Zealand, starting on June 5, while the floodlights will be in use for the first time for the second NatWest Series One-day International against South Africa on August 26. The redevelopment works gave Steve the opportunity to begin his end of season renovations early, making good use of the favourable weather conditions.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115