Summer Sports - Cricket
The former grass tennis courts double up as a junior football pitch and cricket training area
The bowling facilities are kept in an immaculate condition by volunteers
Aerial view of the facilties at Edgbaston Foundation Sports Ground
Deers Leap Wood Nature Reserve. I keep in contact with Paul Stephenson who is the Trust’s senior ecologist. This is a healthy relationship, not just for the environmental aspect but also shared communication on site security. We have a picturesque surrounding in summer and, despite our close proximity to Birmingham city centre, the wildlife is abundant. None more so than some thirty species of birds, including great spotted woodpecker, green woodpecker, bullfinch, chaffinch, goldfinch, greenfinch, song thrush, mistle thrush, fieldfare, redwing, nuthatch, goldcrest, pied wagtail, long tailed tit, wheatear, dunnock and the local predators sparrowhawks and buzzards to name a few! Elsewhere on the ground the former grass tennis courts have, in recent years, been utilised as a 60 x 40 yards junior football pitch. The last couple of seasons, we have doubled this facility up as a cricket training area and have thought about the long term possibility of it becoming grass wickets to sit alongside the artificial nets. The area would be sufficient to provide numerous practice strips along with long run‐ups and space for wicketkeepers.
In a few years time, when the ‘Number 1’ practice area at Edgbaston is eventually redeveloped, we have the potential to house the marquee structure they have in place for winter nets….. a pipedream maybe or even a case of be careful what you wish for! The two bowling greens are used by Mitchells & Butlers B.C. (Est.1903) and
108 I PC APRIL/MAY 2018
The greens have proudly hosted eight of a possible nine All England Championships since the local Warwickshire & Worcestershire county association opted for two‐green venues in 1935
Broomfield B.C. (Est.1898) and have been in use since the ground opened in August 1930. The area equates to about half a hectare and is maintained by volunteers from the 100 or so combined membership.
The greens host around 176 home fixtures a season and form the majority of our community use on site, welcoming eighty to ninety visiting clubs a season. Some fifty external events and competitions have been held here since 2010, including the 2011
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Midland Masters, 2013 All England and, for the first time in thirty‐one years, a BCGBA county match in 2016. The clubs are working towards a longer lease agreement with Section 106 funding allocated to the ground specifically for bowling facilities. It is hoped part of the £96,600 sum will provide much needed pavilion space and further toilet facilities.
For me personally my role is varied, never boring and I love the outdoor aspect. It includes some assistance to the head groundsman but at present is predominantly a site management position
The greens were deep spiked for the first time in 2015 with a Wiedenmann Terra Spike XD6 by Fineturf (12mm tines/220mm depth) and in 2016 by ALS (19mm tines/200mm depth). This has vastly improved root mass and length having previously struggled with bridged and lateral rooting and a root break at 75mm. Limagrain’s MM9 100% bent seed mixture was trialed in 2016 and MM10 and MM11 last October to continue to introduce various bent and fescue cultivars and dilute the poa population. ICL fertilisers are opted for including Sierraform GT 16:0:16 in spring, Greenmaster NK 10:0:10 liquid in the summer and Greenmaster Pro‐Lite 6:5:11 +Mg in autumn.
Plans for the future will depend on the company’s master plan for Edgbaston. First class cricket could return here when the new T20 competition goes ahead in the summer of 2020. Each first class county stands to receive £1.3 million from the ECB. It is my understanding that some of this will be earmarked for county outgrounds in order to bring them up to spec for hosting first class cricket. Let’s wait and see, but add that possibility to Sport England grants, Section
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