CRICKET
There is always talk of clubs having to sell off land to keep some revenue coming in, which is something that has been mentioned here in the past
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they’ve never been there,” says Mark. Mark talks me through the maintenance of all the grass surfaces, starting with the cricket square. “The squares are cut at 12mm all summer, raked out every two weeks, and we will verti-cut as well now as we have just purchased a verti-cut unit for our Allett C20. To prepare a wicket normally two weeks out we will water if needed, thin out using the verti-cutter or the SISIS rake on the back of the tractor. We cut out the debris with a John Deere 2653A triple mower on its lowest setting until we stop getting anything in the boxes. From there, we will soak it if needed and commence
rolling depending on how quick it dries out. These factors determine how frequently we roll. A lot of people control their drying by sheeting, but we have cricket every night, so there is no way we could leave sheets on to stop it drying out. So, the wicket is determined a lot by the weather conditions, even though we do have the roll-on covers and sheets available.”
“The outfields are cut at 12mm with the
triple, keeping it at the same height as the square so it can all be cut in one hit. We box off the main outfield twice a week and the back outfield is double cut on a Thursday without the boxes attached.”
Getting Personal Mark Goddard: come up and see me, make me smile
Who are you? Mark Goddard, Head Groundsman at Driffield Town Cricket Club and Recreation Ground.
Family status? Married with two girls, 5 and 9 years.
Who’s your hero and why? My little girls as they can actually get me to smile.
What’s been the highlight of your grounds career so far? My job at the moment as I’ve always wanted to work here from when I was a kid.
If your younger self saw you now, what would they think? I wish he would smile.
Which famous people wind you up? Overpaid football players.
What job would you love, other than your own?Would love to work at a County cricket ground.
What was the most embarrassing moment in your life? Any time someone asks me to spell something. It is definitely not my strong point.
What is your favourite film? The Shawshank Redemption.
What scares you? Having to give a speech. Something happening to my girls.
94 PC August/September 2020
What would your autobiography be called… and who would play you in the film? Carry On Regardless. Ricky Gervais in Afterlife.
What is your favourite sport? Cricket.
What would you cast into Room 101? Soap Operas.
Which historical time and place would you most like to visit? The Industrial Revolution. I would like to work on steam engines.
Do you have a lifetime ambition? Swimming at the Great Barrier Reef.
Which three people, living or dead, would you invite to a dinner party? David Jason. David Attenborough and Fred Dibnah.
What’s the best advice you have ever been given? Proper preparation prevents poor performance.
What’s your favourite smell? Fresh baked bread.
Which three albums would you take to a desert island? Coldplay. Queen. Robbie Williams.
What’s the daftest work-related question you have ever been asked? Can you not use white tape instead of paint on the grass courts? Or, is this your full-time job?
What’s your favourite piece of kit? John Deere Aercore walk behind.
What three words would you use to describe yourself? Quiet. Reliable. Inventive.
What is the single most useful thing you could tell a 16-year-old groundsperson? Do it right, do it once.
What talent would you like to have? To have a good memory.
“We cut one bowling green a day with the Allett C20 set at 5mm. Then we would normally have a 3-week rolling programme of works - we verticut one week, spike with pencil tines the next and cut the following week.” “Tennis courts are cut twice a week with the John Deere triple at a height of 10mm with the boxes on and the headlands at 12mm. Then they are marked out once a week.”
Fertiliser programmes on the grass playing surfaces are basic, which comes down to the budgets available to Mark at the time. “On the outfields, we will use a
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