Summer Sports - Cricket
Early September and Tim Williams makes a start on autumn renovations with three-way scarification of the square
justify owning a specific machine”
equipment that is available to member clubs that cannot afford nor
association owns a trailer and a useful selection of specialist
“Each
risk of water saturation is much higher than it would be on a free-draining limestone soil. In 2012, prolonged periods of heavy
rain resulted in areas of standing water that delayed the start of games until Tim had been able to “sponge away” the puddles using the club’s water remover. “The build-up of compaction was also having a detrimental effect on grass shoot and root growth, so we called-in a contractor to deep aerate the square in November last year, followed by 12mm solid-tining,” said Tim. “The latter work was carried out by Keith Exton, head groundsman at Glamorgan’s SWALEC stadium, and is one of a range of services offered to local clubs by Glamorgan County Cricket Club.” Tim pointed out that tine aeration used to be a normal part of Cowbridge’s autumn renovations programme, but had been deferred until the new grass seed had become established on the advice of ECB pitch advisor, Gordon Gill.
As a result, solid tining was carried out
Players, umpires and spectators alike appreciate the fine wickets being prepared by Tim Williams
46 PC DECEMBER/JANUARY 2014
by Tim in late autumn this year using a Groundsman aerator borrowed from the South Wales Cricket Groundsmen’s Association (SWCGA), which Cowbridge Cricket Club joined in 2013. “The association is one of four similar volunteer-led organisations established by Cricket Wales throughout the country to provide advice, guidance and support to groundsmen on cricket ground maintenance, preparation and improvement,” explained Tim. “Each association owns a trailer and a useful selection of specialist equipment that is available to member clubs that cannot afford nor justify owning a specific machine. The equipment we borrow is kept at Neath Cricket Club and is a most welcome asset for clubs across south Wales.” Tim points out that, for a town cricket club playing local league cricket, Cowbridge has an excellent collection of machinery ranging from an Autoguide Auto-Roller to a CP10 knapsack sprayer. “The equipment is mostly pre-owned, obtained over a number of years from a
variety of reliable sources, near and far,” he said. “However, our Allett Regal mower was purchased new, as was the Sisis Rotorake 600. The latter is probably the most frequently used machine on the square as it can be fitted with scarifying and brushing heads, both of which are in action several times each week ahead of home matches.” The Rotorake was the principle machine employed also within the club’s 2013 autumn renovations programme. Having cut the square in two
directions using the Superbowl 51 set at 3mm, Tim scarified the entire area in three different directions with the Rotorake 600, going slightly deeper each time; the final pass being in line with the direction of play. With all debris swept up and barrowed off the square, the scarification grooves received a final brushing ready for overseeding. This year, Tim applied Barenbrug’s Bar Extreme seed mix using the club’s Allen pedestrian spreader, applying a total of 35gm/sq metre over three separate passes. Topdressing and levelling of the wicket ends of the square was carried out by specialist contractor, Wayne Duggan, using a tractor-trailed topdresser applying Binders Ongar Loam. Finally, the ends were overseeded by Tim with his pedestrian spreader. A 5:5:10+Fe winter fertiliser was applied to the square in late November following solid tine aeration. “One thing I’ve learned in my short time as a cricket groundsman is that the care and improvement of quality sports turf will never be an exact science,” commented Tim. “This year, I solid tined the square in late autumn with the aim of encouraging root growth and moisture percolation. Next year, I may try a combination of hollow tining and topdressing as a means of reducing organic matter and layering within the soil profile.” Tim pointed out that wickets had displayed good consistent bounce throughout last season and his next goal is to achieve and maintain pace of a similar quality.
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