Summer Sports - Cricket “No, I’ve never done it before
Another year entered with thoughts on a blisteringly hot summer heavy on the mind. Then you pinch yourself back to reality and know you will settle for no rain on a Friday, but for some nice heavy rain about 8.30 on a Sunday
evening. That’s not too much to ask for is it?
Barry Glynn muses on the cricket groundsman’s lot
THOUGHTS for the WINTER...
at all in a professional capacity, and it was really always thus. But, although club cricket is basically an amateur sport, the modern demands placed upon it at the upper echelon are virtually professional in what is required on and off the field of play in terms of organisation and commitment by groundstaff and committees. I would like to point out that the following musings are my personal ones and do not represent the club I am involved with.
M
As with anything these days, costs are escalating far too quickly for anyone’s good. I’ve been involved with running cricket clubs for forty years now and, in my time, have held just about every position on and off the field. Having just managed to find another mug, er, I mean volunteer, to take over the position of Fixture Secretary after twelve years, my involvement is now down to being a groundsman.
Barry Glynn 80 PC FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012
What I have observed is that, whilst it was never easy running a cricket club, it is now probably even harder on all fronts. Financially, the need to raise funds has taken on even more importance. No longer can clubs get by on subscriptions, profit on a few beers in the summer and
y thoughts have drifted recently onto just how important club cricket is to the game at the very top. Without club cricket, I doubt if the game would exist
squeezing a profit out of a couple of social functions. One could argue that subscription levels are too low, and obviously these vary geographically, but probably are relative in terms of what percentage of the running costs they actually make up. Of course, there are degrees of demand depending on what level the club is playing at. My club is in a very expensive part of the country to live, and there are many clubs competing with each other for general members, good players and colts within a crowded area. The club plays at a good level which, again, brings about many demands. But, whatever standard a club is playing at, normally the desire is to strive to improve playing conditions and standards, social events etc. None of these come without some extra cost and certainly not without more work on someone’s part.
So, let’s look at the financial
requirements of ground maintenance first. Any club trying to provide decent surfaces has to face basic costs that are not negotiable. Loam, seed and fertiliser has to be bought and, as we all know, that, like everything else, has risen quite sharply in the last three years or so. Some of you may be very lucky and have the services of an excellent volunteer groundsman who is also handy with machinery. If you do have such a person, then the club should look after him. But,
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148