Summer Sports - Cricket
Rolling has been reduced by seventy-five percent
noise) and being pestered by a particularly large bee which he eventually shoos out of the window, all the while continuing to discuss his working methods. “We are now producing result wickets,” said Simon proudly. “In truth though, they are not offering massive turn, seam or bounce, but visiting teams used to come here expecting everything to be gun barrel straight, so even the slightest bit of movement sows the seeds of doubt in the opposition batsmen’s mind.” “We now have a very good relationship with our players, and I think the work myself and the staff have done has given them the confidence to go out and take twenty wickets. And I value their opinion. They may not understand groundsmanship, but they are the ones playing on it, so I have to take on board what they say. It’s all about working together. After all, I am employed by the club, so it’s up to me to try and provide what they want.” Simon goes on to explain that he now cuts the square in the winter with his 36” Paladin cylinder mower. “We used to use a Flymo rotary, but I felt this tore the new grass so, by using the Paladin, I’m actually strengthening the grass even more.”
Apart from continuing the spraying
regime through the winter, there is little else Simon needs to do to the square and, as he points out, it is now fending for itself very well. “This winter has been difficult though,” bemoaned Simon. “The ground was either under water or frozen solid. We only managed one cut of the outfield!” “As for other winter work, we have been busy relevelling an area of the
Repairs to the bowlers’ run ups eventually had to be returfed
bowlers’ run ups which, over the years had built up to form a fairly steep slope up to the square. This led to run off problems with the covers, with the water sitting about six feet from the square.” “So, we stripped off the old turf, power
harrowed and readjusted the levels with a 70/30 rootzone that was compatible with the existing soils, and then reseeded with Johnsons Court.” “The new seed soon germinated and began to grow, but rooting remained shallow because of the weather and, even after several attempts to oversow with more seed, there was no improvement. I was concerned that it might be too soft come the playing season so, in February, after taking the advice of Martin Townsend at Severn Amenity Services, I took the decision to returf using Hewlett Turf ’s big roll lockturf.” Gartells, a local contractor, carried out
the groundwork, providing a temporary trackway to gain access across the outfield. Hewlett Turf completed the work within a week, laying over five hundred square metres of turf. “The result has been an instantly firm outfield,” said a relieved Simon, “which, effectively, got a further four weeks to grow in before the first game.” “As for the yellowed turf under the trackway, we overseeded and spiked it and gave it a feed to aid recovery.” “Pre-season we carried out twenty hours of rolling across the square. We used to start with the Mastiff and build up to the heavy roller, but this year we’ve been using the blotter. This weighs in at about a tonne, but with the padding on the rollers doesn’t squidge the grass. I probably did about six hours in total.” “I then moved on to the three tonne Greens roller, starting at a fast speed and
then slowing down to complete the rolling. I usually go across the square and then with play. I don’t bother with the Union Jack method as it seems over faffy! If you’re going to roll it, the soil doesn’t mind which direction you are doing it.”
“Once the rolling has been completed, I’ll move on to individual pitch preparation, which involves little and often rolling in ten minute blocks. Sometimes, I might only roll a championship pitch for twenty minutes in the summer and then leave it to bake hard. That way, I can achieve the seam movement our bowlers want. I really don’t see the point of rolling for ten hours, as it will be so compact there’s no chance of any give.”
Of the eleven first class wickets, Simon will use five for championship games and six for LB40 and Twenty20. The championship pitches are generally played on twice in a season on a rotation basis, overseeding after the first game, whilst the one day pitches are played on at least twice and, in the case of Twenty20, three times, just repairing and rolling out between the rush of fixtures. “We tend to start the season with the traditional fourteen day preparation but, as the season progresses, that may be cut to seven days in between fixtures. Last season, we finished with six championship matches in seven weeks; that’s a lot cricket,” confessed Simon. “I hear a lot about rest and recuperation for the players, but the same is true for the grass and I make this point often to the players and coaches.”
Simon has a team of four who help
him. Rob Hake, Dan Stabback, Martin Frost and new apprentice, Luke Dopson. Rob Hake spends most of his time at the
The Sir Ian Botham Stand alongside the older Colin Atkinson Pavilion - the players now use the new Andy Caddick Pavilion
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