Summer Sports - Cricket ... but how hard can it be?”
he won’t be there forever, and then what? There are contractors out there who are very good, but it’s what they do for a living, not for charity. Many a decent square and ground has been ruined in one season because someone who took it over from old George said, “No, I’ve never done it before, but how hard can it be?” We all know there are many expert groundsmen in the bar or on the square before the start of a game. Then, there’s machinery. I know some
guys are handy with a set of spanners and can do an oil change without any trouble, but cylinders and bottom blades will need to be sharpened, machines will break down in the middle of the season and you will need to get them fixed. Provision needs to be made for this, or at least the powers that be need to be made aware of it.
So, at the risk of much derision and critique, here is what I have forecasted to be the budget requirements for materials and machinery servicing costs to our committee for the coming year. I do this because these requirements are not a wish list; they are essential basics for the level we are playing at, and to help provide a decent surface to play cricket on. But, I seriously encourage all groundsmen, volunteer or otherwise, to keep the committees fully up to speed with essential costs. It’s all part of the continuing education process to make people aware of what’s involved in producing decent cricket surfaces. The more information you feed to your
committees, the less likelihood there is of you being referred to as “the bloke who cuts the grass”. I’ve recently added a “Groundsman’s Corner” link to our website where I’ve started it off explaining what end of season renovation entails.
Materials
Loam (200 bags) = £1,200 (this includes all the loam for the end of season renovation and enough loam to see me through the coming summer for pitch repairs etc.)
Seed (4 bags) = £300
Fertiliser (7 bags) = £200 (I am embarking on an increased fertiliser programme over the year to further help prevent moss, weeds invading the square and to generally improve the surface
Liquid Spraying for worm control (2 sprayings) = £220 ( By the way, first year I’ve had it done and money very well spent)
Spraying of outfield = £300 Line marker (15 litres) = £50
Diesel for triple (200 litres) = £230 ( this is red diesel that I buy in a 200 litre drum to save a bit)
Petrol - for roller, mowers, strimmer, blower etc. = £300
Miscellaneous = £100 Total = £2,620 Machinery Hire
Scarifier and loam spreader - for end of season renovations = £400
Spiker = £220 (this is only for two spikings, should really be done at least three times in the winter depending on weather)
Total = £620 Servicing of Machinery
Servicing of Outfield Triple and two pitch mowers = £2,100 labour
Parts for above = Approx. £300/£400 (this is an estimation - could be more because the triple has a hydraulic leak)
I have negotiated a 25% discount on labour and 15% discount on parts to get it down to these figures. I booked this in for the third week in January. We will be invoiced about the middle of February and have thirty days to pay.
Total = £2,520
Grand Total = £6,020 (also you could put on that an additional cost of a few hundred pounds to replace the ageing netting for the two artificial nets)
Those figures could increase because the triple does need some serious tlc. This servicing will be done by a very professional company and they are not the cheapest, but I know they do a good job. My committee knows this is essential and that the costs will not be less. I have to say that they are fairly easy to deal with, but constant communication is vital. This is what I consider to be the barest essential costs for the coming year. On top of that there is a wish list. Firstly, and fairly essential in my book, is some
C-Range professional mowing and turf maintenance system
• Ideal for bowls and golf clubs, contractors and other turf professionals
• Choose from 510mm (20in), 610mm (24in) and 864mm (34in) working widths
• Start off with just one cartridge head and add others as needed or when budget permits
Uses quickly-interchangeable, precision cartridge heads, enabling one machine to cut grass (with or without grooming) and to scarify, verticut, slit, brush or lightly spike fine turf.
Phone 01889 271503 or email
sales@allett.co.uk for more information and a no-obligation demonstration.
www.allett.co.uk 6-blade cylinder 10-blade with groomer 10-blade cylinder Brush Scarifier Slitter Sorrell Roller Verticutter FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012 PC 81
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