outfield to a standard that, Andy believes, will rival that of any county side. The redevelopment has proved possible thanks to a £10m bequest by local business tycoon and cricket lover, Spen Cama, on his death in 2001. He also bequeathed a similar sum to
Preston Nomads cricket club, which is linked to Sussex CCC and is based at Fulking at the foot of the Sussex Downs. Carrying on Cama’s charitable spirit, the Nomads have invested in ground facilities and have set up a trust in their past president’s honour, enabling other clubs to apply for funding for ground improvements. The Sussex CCC bequest will fund an
expansion of seating capacity at Hove from 7,000 to 10,000, Andy explains, with installation of a £60,000 pop-up irrigation system scheduled within the next two years.
Phase one of the redevelopment begins in September under a £400,000 commitment to turfcare facilities and catering, Andy adds. New machinery sheds, tearoom, wash bays for grounds machinery and a wastewater recycling facility are all planned. The windfall will allow Sussex to complete the work needed to bring ground facilities and the square up to the levels the members deserve, Andy explains. Yet, for many category C grounds, funds are increasingly tight and a groundswell of opinion among groundsmen favours a move by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to fund improvements of the outfield at such grounds. “The Board needs to consider helping out the lower category sides financially, in the same spirit in which the category A and B have been helped,” Andy maintains. “If not, there’s a danger that a gulf will open up between category A and B clubs and others like us. The ECB may make deferential payments but this is still
to be decided,” he adds “and, in any case, there are no assurances that the money will be spent on the improvement of fine turf.”
“I understand that there is only so much money in the pot, and that the intention was to improve facilities for the National side, however, when we get down to the nitty gritty of the domestic competitions, it feels like we’ve been left out.”
Cricket grounds may soon benefit from investing in so-called ‘grow lights’ after witnessing their success in football and tennis. Clubs have experimented with them to help dry out grounds after heavy rainfall. But, again, Andy fears that it will be category C clubs that could miss out because only the wealthier ones will be able to afford them. “I would like to see them being used to also aid turf growth, yet I doubt this will happen anytime soon,” he states, “and I worry that, if the ECB ever go down the route of funding the lights at the category A and B clubs, then it will further widen the void between them and the category C clubs – presumably giving those grounds an unfair advantage in the domestic game.” The Hove floodlights are due to be upgraded before the 2010 season rolls into action. “The eight floodlights currently installed are no longer considered bright enough, so it is vital to upgrade them prior to the launch of the English Premier League next year.” Sussex, always pro-active, was the first club in the northern hemisphere to install floodlights, so it’s only natural that they would be among those to date first. The current 750 lux floods will give way to 2000 lux stanchions delivering “almost daylight levels of illumination” Andy notes. “The eight current lights, two positioned at each corner of the ground, run on a generator and can be unreliable.” “We’ve had problems with the
generators this year against Kent and Surrey. For the Surrey game we actually had a backup generator on site and so it only caused us minor delays,” he adds. The new lights will run on mains electricity so should remove that worry.” The quality of turfcare at Hove has
brought praise from the Australians, when Sussex played host to the tourists recently - particularly the practice nets, now being hailed as some of the finest in the country. “Every team that comes here has made a point of complimenting us on their quality,” Andy states proudly. “After the end of the season last year the club allowed me to invest both money and time in them and the results are showing.” But, it hasn’t all been plain sailing.
“The practice square, with thirteen strips, was relaid three years ago at dead level,” explains Andy. “There was nowhere for the water to drain so, when it rained, puddles would lie everywhere. We addressed the problems last year with the use of a Koro Field Topmaker and managed to put a slope on the surface. We also completely reconstructed the run ups.”
The major investment planned for Hove, coupled with the intelligence, courage and commitment of Andy and his team, has spelt an end to an era of under- investment in ground conditions that, Andy believes, had continued for far too long. “What has been most evident to me since I came here is that a ‘make do and mend’ approach just isn’t good enough and doesn’t do us any favours in the long term. “After a number of years of this
approach - with all good intentions - the square has reached the stage where we need to start again from scratch.” With it, a new age of enlightenment will dawn to end an eon of ‘low and slow’ wickets at the country’s most successful county side of recent years.
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