Summer Sports - Cricket
“I’ve seen many come through here who don’t really have a grasp of what’s involved. They see it as a cushy number where they can sit out and watch
cricket all day” 1st and 2nd team square from the clubhouse balcony
Brian with Ben Stapleton-Denyer; “one of the best recent prospects”
who have since forged formal links with Preston Nomads, using it as an outground and training site where Sussex turfcare apprentices have the chance to develop their skills - an opportunity that wouldn’t be afforded them at Hove. Spen’s handsome bequest has been used to fund major developments at Hove, without accruing debt, including the construction of an indoor cricket school in 2003, £8m to refurbish the pavilion, two new stands, upgraded floodlights, a new groundsman’s facility and the Boundary Rooms. The relationship between Sussex and
Preston has blossomed, but it’s by no means a one-way street for either club. Preston benefit from the presence of full- time ground staff, who ensure the facilities at Fulking are no less impressive than would be expected at Hove. In fact, I’m yet to see a first-team
square that struck me quite as much as this one did at first glimpse. Little wonder the ground has been named one of cricket’s loveliest, with a backdrop that is stunning all year round. Green and lush it may look, but the man whose job it is to keep it looking this good is still striving for the level of perfection that he feels the square is yet to reach. “You haven’t seen it at its best,”
62 PC JUNE/JULY 2013
remarks Head Groundsman Brian Fandalls. “We’ve had a tricky year with such heavy rainfall, so maintenance that should have been completed months ago is only just being tackled. Come back in a month’s time and you’ll really notice the difference.”
Whether I would notice is another
matter, as the pursuit of perfection is a journey many grounds professionals take, and Brian is no different. He’s probably the envy of most in the profession though, with the tools to deliver a first- rate wicket but without the demands on him of his colleagues over the Downs at Sussex. Despite this, Brian is a man on a mission as he strives for the best during his time here.
Since 2001, Sussex have run the contract to maintain the Nomads ground, which is also one of the county club’s apprentice training venues, along with nearby Blackstone CC. The luxury of this relationship from
Sussex’s perspective is it provides an environment where apprentices are allowed a greater degree of freedom to experiment, and one where mistakes won’t have the impact that they would in the pressured environment of Hove. Thanks to the poor winter, Brian, like many in his position, is a month behind schedule. “We’ve had little growth until recently; the seed is only just taking with the bit of sunshine,” he tells me. “Barenbrug’s Bar Extreme has been our saviour; it suits our climate and we’re beginning to gain some good germination. The fact is, we’re up against it to get everything ready for the season, which this year has more fixtures than
ever before.”
Brian admits preparations were met with a degree of panic because of the unseasonal weather and have led to some unorthodox practice. “We’d normally only sow once, but we’ve done so five times this year. As the rain came down without letting up, we worried ‘has the seed rotted, been washed away, will it germinate in time for the season?’” “However, the difference a month
makes is huge. Our first and third squares are like chalk and cheese, such is the microclimate here. We’ve never completed renovations in such poor conditions before, but we had no choice this year and the results were always going to be worse than we’d have liked. Ultimately, if you prepare in poor conditions then poor results are what you’ll get.” A verdict I couldn’t help but feel was a tad harsh, but such is the perfectionist’s burden. Like the many apprentices that
progress through the Sussex ranks, Brian began his career at Blackstone, where, like others since, he had the chance to hone his skills in a less urgent environment. He began his youth training at Arundel Castle as a groundsman/gardener, returning to the historic town after a few years out to join the staff at Arundel Castle Cricket Club, where he enjoyed four years as assistant to Colin Dick. He was now set for a new challenge and entered the contracting world, taking a position with the then Worthing District Council where, for two years, he was stationed at Goring Cricket Club. Grounds management switched from council to contractor and back again, but the same problems persisted with contractor-led maintenance, he recalls. “When you’re looking after several sites, you have to cap how much time you can devote to one club. I find it hard to stop when I see improvements being made, but there was only so much time
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