Tonbridge School
PITCHCARE METHOD MEN ... Weston-super-Mare Cricket Club
Cricket Pitch Preparation at Tonbridge School
George Alexander explains the regime he uses at Tonbridge School. This schedule is for early season when no watering would be required.
The square is maintained at a height of 15mm all year round. All 15 pitches are pre-marked at 10ft intervals on the square. Pitch preparation starts 16 days before the pitch is required.
Day 1 (Thursday) First cut is done with a Lloyds Paladin, set at 10mm, using string lines for an accurate 10ft playing area. Light scarification using a Sisis Combi Rake (to reduce the density of the grass cover) only between popping creases. A second cut at 10mm. 30 minutes rolling using Autoguide roller (am). Full 26yd length of the pitch is always rolled. Further 30 minutes rolling (pm).
Day 2 2 x 30 minutes rolling sessions. am and pm.
Day 3 Cut at 10mm.
Day 4 (Sunday) Rest day, even for Groundsmen
Day 5 Cut at 10mm, light scarification, cut at 10mm and 2 x 30 min rolling sessions.
The pitch will now be covered, when necessary, to keep all rainfall off the playing surface.
Day 6 Cut at 8mm, light scarification (by this stage I would expect enough grass will be thinned out to leave around an 80% grass cover). Soil should be visible. Cut at 8mm, 2 x 30 min rolling sessions am and pm.
Day 7 2 x 30 min rolling sessions.
Day 8 Cut at 8mm, 2 x 30 min rolling sessions.
Day 9 2 x 30 min rolling sessions.
Day 10 (Saturday) Cut at 8mm.
Day 11 Rest Day
Day 12 Cut at 8mm, 2 x 30 min rolling sessions.
Day 13 Cut at 4mm using Allett Shaver, second cut at 4mm, 2 x 30 min rolling sessions. Pitch creases will be dashed-out (4 x 50mm dashes per line), stump holes made. Careful examination of the surface to determine if a light sprinkle of water is required before rolling.
Day 14 Cut at 4mm,
Cricket Pitch Preparations at Weston-super-Mare CC
Grounds Manager, Jon Lawrence, outlines the work he undertakes to prepare his wickets
Day1 Brush track to lift grass leaf. Cut track to 8mm. Flood track (half inch covering) and once surface water has soaked in cover with flat sheets.
2 x 30 min rolling sessions.
Day 15 Cut at 4mm, 2 x 30 min rolling sessions
Day 16 (Friday), Cut at 4mm, 2 x 30 min rolling sessions. Fully mark creases and water stump holes. The pitch is now ready for play should any problems occur on Saturday morning.
Day 17 (Match day) Cut at 4mm between the creases, quick 20 min roll at around 10am (let the players see the pitch has been rolled before the coin toss). Set out the stumps and hope they get around 250 runs in each innings.
In the event of the square drying out before the start of the season, heavy watering before and during preparations is the one change to the above process.
Tips Try bouncing a cricket ball on the pitch each morning. Over the preparation period the vertical bounce should gradually get higher. It is also a good indicator of the pace of the pitch.
The bounce will get higher as the season progresses and as the soil profile dries out.
Buy a soil sampler. Take out a plug at the start of the preparation programme. Do this in the middle of the pitch, 8 inches in from the edge. No ball will ever pitch there. Log the soil characteristics, i.e, dampness, any breaks etc. The day before the match take a second sample from nearby and compare. Have a look at what’s happening beneath the surface. Do this all season - it’s addictive!
Do not keep lowering the height of cut, especially if the pitch is to be used over consecutive weekends. The grass will struggle to recover if this is done.
Day 2 Brush track to lift grass leaf. Cut track to 8mm. Flood track (half inch covering) and once surface water has soaked in cover with flat sheets.
Day 3 Scarify track with lawnman. Brush track to lift grass leaf. Cut track to 8mm. Leave flat sheets on surface.
Day 4 Brush track to lift grass leaf. Cut track to 6mm. Remove flat sheets and carry out rolling as required.
Day 5 Brush track to lift grass leaf. Cut track to 6mm. Remove flat sheets and carry out rolling as required.
Day 6 Brush track to lift grass leaf. Cut track to 6mm. Remove flat sheets and carry out rolling as required.
Day 7 Brush track to lift grass leaf. Cut track to 6mm. Remove flat sheets and start drying out the upper part of the track.
Day 8 Brush track to lift grass leaf. Cut track to
6mm. Roll as conditions allow. Continue drying process. Use Roll on and roll off covers to control the drying rate as required.
Day 9 Brush track to lift grass leaf. Cut track to 6mm Roll as conditions allow. Continue drying process.
Day 10 Brush track to lift grass leaf. Cut track to 6mm Roll as conditions allow. Continue drying process.
Day 11 Brush track to lift grass leaf. Cut track to 6mm. Roll as conditions allow. Continue drying process.
Day 12 Brush track to lift grass leaf. Cut track to 6mm. Roll as conditions allow. Continue drying process.
Day 13 Brush track to lift grass leaf. Cut track to playing height (4 or 5 mm depending on time of year). Cut out with scissors any stubborn stems which won't stand up for cutting. Roll as conditions allow. Continue drying process. Cover track overnight.
Day 14 Brush track to lift grass leaf. Cut to playing height. Roll as conditions allow. Cover track overnight.
Day 15 - Match day Brush track to lift grass leaf. Cut at playing height. Final roll to make track look nice. Mark out track.
Rolling is only necessary until the desired consolidation levels are achieved. Rolling is done in 30 minute intervals, ie 30 minutes rolling and 30 minutes rest.
Roll on and roll off covers should ideally be used every night from match day 8 onwards.
Obviously everything is very weather dependent. If the track is dusting it may be necessary to mist it prior to rolling on day 14, remembering that you don’t artificially water after lunchtime on that day - though I don’t consider misting the track as watering.
TIP: Presentation is important. Don’t be frightened of getting on your hands and knees to cut out stubborn bits of grass.
St Paul’s School, London
the bulk of lateral growth. Pitch is then cut again at 10mm, heavily irrigated, normally 2 or 3 times in one day, and then covered overnight.
Head Groundsman, Neil Dixon, gives a brief outline of the ten day preparation regime he uses for his 1st XI fixtures at St Paul’s School.
This programme is very weather dependent, of course, but I hope it gives a brief insight into how we prepare our cricket pitches.
Day 1 Cut whole square at 13mm. Cut out pitch to be used at 10mm using a Dennis verticut reel the pitch is verticut to remove
Day 2 Pitch will hopefully be ready for rolling. If so, it is rolled for approx 20- 30 minutes, then re- covered. This is done approximately every 3 hours, about 25-30 minutes rolling at a time.
Day 3 The square is cut at 13mm, the pitch at 9mm and, again, more rolling and covering during the day.
Day 4 More rolling and covering. I may look to give the surface a light water if I feel it is needed
Day 5 Square is cut at 13mm. Hopefully, now the ground will be firm. If so, I use a Sisis hand rake to remove any lateral growth, along with cutting and rolling - I never roll for
more than 20 - 30 minutes at any one time.
Day 6 Now the wicket is left open to the elements a bit more to help the drying of the pitch, along with more frequent but shorter rolling - 10-20 minutes only
Day 7 Square is cut at 13mm. Pitch is cut at 9mm, and brushed/raked with the Sisis combi rake to stand the grass up and remove any material from the surface. The pitch will be monitored to prevent it drying too quickly, and covered if needed.
Day 8 More rolling and covering throughout the day.
Day 9 Pitch is cut at match height of 4mm and rolled.
Day 10 - Match Day Square is cut at 13mm. Pitch is cut, rolled, marked out and now covered until the fixture.
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