ground contractor, maintaining sports pitches in and around Milton Keynes. Richard’s set up his own company in 1999, and employs four staff, including himself and his wife Caroline, who oversees all the accounts and office administration. His Assistant Groundsman, Jon Hawes, has been with him for five years, whilst Nick Allen is a seasonal groundsman, helping out during the summer months. The company base themselves at Campbell Park to ensure they are able to meet the demands of the work required at the ground. In addition they maintain several other cricket grounds and eleven school grounds. Richard employs four experienced sub-contractors who undertake work on his behalf - mowing, pruning, deep aeration, spraying etc. This partnership works well, reducing the need to purchase and maintain larger specialist equipment. Richard has been solely credited with the quality of the wickets produced at Campbell Park. Originally an eight strip Boughton loam square, in 1996 three additional strips were laid using
Ongar loam and, in the subsequent years, the renovation programme has included integration of Ongar into the rest of the square.
Due to the sheer amount of fixtures - fifty in a season is not unusual - Richard relies on Jon to help prepare and maintain the square for matches. They base their work around a very detailed performance specification set out by the Parks Trust, and liaise regularly with Robert Riekie. The contract has clear definitions, and is set out in two distinct sections - routine maintenance, and preparation and after care of the ground for matches. The Trust also defines specific work schedules for the various categories and levels of cricket being played. These are:
Category A: - One Day County Standard Matches - Two Day County Standard Matches - Three Day County Standard Matches - Four Day County Standard Matches - Selected Representative Matches
Category B:
- One Day County Standard, Representative Two Day Matches and Pro/Celebrity Matches
Category C:
- Representative, Club, School and Private Matches.
Each category stipulates the minimum amount of work required and staffing requirements for match days. For example, a category A match will require more preparation work leading up to a game. Richard will spend anything from ten to sixteen days to prep these matches, and is required to supply up to four additional staff to help move covers, site screens, flags, net facilities and boundary ropes, and be on hand to carry out final match preps, marking out and cleaning up of the wicket between innings. For a category B match, preparation time is reduced to ten days with only two staff required to be in attendance on match days. For a category C match, prep time is reduced to five days, with no additional staff requirement during the match.
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