John Fazackerley with Andy
Top marks for the wicket
“Regardless of the hours I put in, there’s nothing better than producing a wicket that everyone praises. It makes it all worthwhile”
early starts and late finishes are the only way I can get everything done.” At the start of the season, Andy allows sixteen days for preparation, but that reduces to eleven days through the season due to the fixture schedule. “I’ve got a Dorset Under 15 Twenty20 final the day after the Trophy game. I’ll spoil them and let them play on today’s wicket,” he says with a smile. “I might get an extra half hour’s lie in!” The heavy fixture list means that Andy can rarely use covers on his square to assist with his preparation. Coupled with a fairly regular on shore breeze, controlling drying is very difficult. The square is Kaloam to a five inch depth and is susceptible to cracking when it dries out too quickly.
But, it was the outfield that thwarted Hampshire CCC’s attempt to return to the ground they last played on twelve years ago. A warm-up ‘friendly’ Twenty20 game against Dorset, prior to the start of the Friends Provident T20, had to be called off due to a waterlogged outfield. “It’s another area I have got to address,” says Andy. “I carry out regular slitting, but that is not enough. It really needs a good deep aeration programme but, with
Pitchcare Comment
As a follower of Dorset cricket, and a known employee of Pitchcare, I began to hear the rumblings about Dean Park in the summer of last year. It was almost as if those doing the complaining wanted (or needed) me to endorse their views, so as to give them more kudos.
When things go wrong, it is easy to look for a scapegoat - Wembley has been a recent prime example - and often, the person targeted is not the correct choice! And I believe that is what has happened at Dean Park.
Here are some of the rumblings I heard - The bloke is unshaven - correct, he has a beard!
He is covered in tattoos - sorry, didn’t see any tattoos. Perhaps the ‘rumblers’ have seen something in the showers that I could not!
He is scruffy - He is a groundsman doing a dirty and sweaty job. On the day of my visit he was
an annual budget of just £3,000, that simply isn’t viable. And, anyway, I’ve already allocated £2,000 of that to end of season renovations!”
Andy is contracted to work a thirty- seven hour week on the original wage as advertised. He does get a one bedroom flat thrown in but, I ask, why the hell do it? “I love this job,” he says. “Regardless of the hours I put in, there’s nothing better than producing a wicket that everyone praises. It makes it all worthwhile. The flack I got last year, whilst not justified for being targeted at me, was a further incentive to put things right.”
During the winter months Andy takes a much needed holiday. His work time is centred around doing the non-essential jobs, like repainting the many benches and generally keeping the place looking tidy. And, of course, he will get his fixture list - probably close to 100 - so that he can plan the use of the tracks over the course of the season. As Dorset struggled to 98-5, I decided that I could not watch my adopted county get a bigger thrashing than Andy gave his square, and made to leave. As I walked back to my car, I bumped in to
wearing a Bournemouth University staff polo shirt and black trousers and looked respectable enough - for a groundsman.
All the machinery is left out around the ground - partly true, the machinery was parked all together, under trees close to the equipment shed. The shed was full of other equipment and materials.
The whole ground looks a mess - not on the day of my unannounced visit - it looked a picture.
Now, those comments are all rather personal and suggest that the person is not fit for the job, regardless of his qualifications.
By turning up unannounced, I felt I would get a clearer understanding of the situation. I had not been to Dean Park for about five years and my first impression was that I had not seen it looking better - ever. I sought out Andy Dixon, who was delighted to see me - a rarity in itself - and found him to be personable and friendly, and particularly open and honest about the
John Fazackerley, who had come down to the ground to watch the game. In typical forthright Lancastrian fashion, he gave me his views on Dorset cricket, groundsmanship and retirement, the latter of which he seems to be enjoying. It was good to see him looking so well. Later that evening I went online to find out just how heavy was Dorset’s defeat. Imagine my surprise to find that they had lost by just 22 runs. Both teams had heaped praise on Andy’s wicket: “That was the best wicket I have ever played on,” said Wiltshire captain, Michael Coles. Nick Park, Captain of Dorset, walked out to the square, whilst Andy was doing his repairs, to say “thanks for an amazing wicket!” Barry Lewis, Dorset committee member, said “that’s the best wicket I have seen here for years,” whilst Dorset batsman, Darren Cowley, son of former Hampshire player and now first class umpire, Nigel, said, “what do I think about the wicket? It made 670 runs in 100 overs. Good, hard and fast, and that’s what you want for one-day cricket.” Whilst talking to the Dorset coach, Alan Willows, Andy was explaining how
situation at the ground.
There clearly were some big issues with the quality of the wickets throughout 2009, but perish the thought that that may have been the fault of the outgoing groundsman. He had, after all, produced good wickets throughout his time at Dean Park.
Well, actually, no, not if the rumblers have any memory, for those same people used to complain about the Dean Park wickets being dead, slow, low, inconsistent ... well, you get the picture.
No end of season renovations were undertaken in 2008 because, as stated in the article, the exact five week period when they should have been carried out, the ground had no groundsman. Could John Fazackerley have stayed on? Should the university have called someone in to do them? Quite possibly, yes to both questions but, they didn’t.
And then, to make matters worse, the snow and
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