seasons. There are too many games. A dad and his son have to pay £30 for their tickets. Throw in a coke and a hot dog, transport costs etc. and you’re looking at the best part of sixty quid for an evening out. Then you ask them to turn up two or three times a week. They just can’t afford it. There’s now eight home games before a club reaches the quarter finals. It’s daft.
And we have no time for preparation. It used to be that we had ten days to prep a wicket. We are lucky if we get seven now. There’s so many more games, but we only have the same number of strips to work with, which means that they have to be reused over and over again. That brings complaints from players and commentators, but what can we do?
What more could be done to support the head groundsmen at county grounds?
I think they need to be paid a considerable amount more, respected more by the players and not taken for granted and, if at all possible, shorter working hours. A thirty-four working week? ... you’re having a laugh! We don’t get paid overtime, we have to take time off in lieu. This means that some of the lads can take three months holiday. It makes planning my schedules very difficult. But it’s the fault of the system, not the staff.
What do you think of the ECBs role in all this?
They do some very good courses for groundsmen, which are to be commended. But they’ve got to look at
the fixture levels to give us a chance. The county board here certainly supports the clubs at grassroots level very well. We had one club that needed a new roller as their old one would only start when it felt like it, would reverse when put into forward gear and, when put in reverse, wouldn’t go at all. Funding was provided by the board.
As you hang up your boots do you have any regrets?
None at all. To be honest, I’m just looking forward to having the time to travel. Last year, Jill and I took the ferry to Santander and drove back through France. It was beautiful. We want to do and see so much more of that.
And I want to play more golf. I might even get the chance to play John Richards - he owes me one!
The plan is to spend six months in South Africa and six months back here. I don’t like the cold.
What advice would you give to your successor?
Keep an open mind and think before you speak. Whoever it is, they can certainly trust in the team they’ve got here. They are a great bunch of lads and very good grafters.
So, after giving forty-five years service to Warwickshire County Cricket Club, the wanderlust has got the better of Steve Rouse. Let’s hope God is kind to him and gives him a good few extra years.
Steve in the new £30m stand
“It makes planning my schedules very difficult. It’s the fault of the system, not the staff”
50
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