Educational Establishments
Application of moss treatments and applying our Sisis drag brush at least once a week keep the surface in good condition.” “The biggest factor with a surface of this age is that the glue fails, so the seams can kick up and affect ball bounce. A specialist looks over the pitch every eighteen months. We’re looking to relay it though within the next two or three years.” The second focus for sport is Lords, which
accommodates three senior rugby pitches and was developed under a major project with the hockey area. The vision was to create new first and second XV pitches, with a third for reserves play and still have room for a cricket square for the U14s and U15s, says Craig. Plans are afoot to reconstruct the natural
area though. “As my next project, I’d like to set out a rugby pitch on either side of the square to ensure they do not impact the cricket provision and are more level than at present.”
The issue is a historical one, Craig explains:
“The Papes and Lords are recent developments, but the other winter pitches and cricket squares have arisen on medieval ridge and furrow farmland, so the natural levels are not brilliant. The goal is to iron out the surfaces to build smoother playing areas.” Meanwhile, Craig and the team muscle in
to make the most of the topographical challenges. “We continue to improve the surfaces,” he says, “fertilising, overseeding, scarifying and cutting, so we are doing everything we can to raise the quality of the playing conditions.” Sited in a traditionally rainy region of England and located in the trough of a valley scoured out in the last ice age, Giggleswick is perilously close to the River Ribble, which wends its way across the estate. Flooding is not an issue for Craig though.
“The first XV pitch is fewer than 100m from the river, but is on higher ground so, fingers crossed, I have never witnessed a flood here.”
“However, the Thames Beck, which feeds
into the Ribble, runs alongside and under The Papes, so the field can gather water. The school is pretty much the lowest point of the valley, so we are a natural collecting point and are doing well to avoid floods.” The third hub, Main/Top Pitch, is sited by the school chapel and hosts first XI cricket, three grass tennis courts and six hard, Tarmac ones. “These facilities are also hired out to local clubs once the school has broken up for summer,” records Craig. Although just sixteen school cricket
fixtures a season are staged here, the relatively uncluttered calendar holds a hidden benefit. “The square is in a natural bowl, so can collect rain. However, raining off need not be too big an issue as we are not crammed, but my second mission is to raise the square to help reduce the risk of waterlogging.” Across an estate of more than 200 acres, sporting provision can be far flung. Lords, for example, is nearly half a mile from the main buildings - the walk to the field would be
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www.major-equipment.com PC APRIL/MAY 2017 I 41
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