CRICKET What’s in the shed
Lloyds Paladin cylinder mower Dennis FT510 SISIS Rotorake 600 SISIS pedestrian spiker Honda HRX 476 petrol mower STIHL strimmer and blower Ransomes Mastiff cylinder mower Toro Reelmaster 3100-D Poweroll A-R4 Kubota B2530 compact tractor Blec Multiseeder
Groundsman Industries tractor mounted aerator
topdressed using Surrey Loam GOSTD 125 and Supernatural on the Lancashire pitches and brushed in. I was lucky to get all that done before the job started properly. After renovations, we were okay for a while, until it began to grow again, and I found myself having to rally the troops to help me carry the machines over to the square, which was interesting. Once it dried out, I was able to go across.”
“Since August, I have been on furlough, so I have just been in to keep things ticking over on the square as much as I can, with Tom’s help at the weekends.” Once taken off furlough, Sam could spend more time manicuring the surfaces ready for the new season’s start, which he is very much looking forward to after last year. He talks me through his maintenance process of the square. “From March, I will keep my square around 20mm and gradually take it down to 14mm, which I will keep for the season. I will try to keep the outfi eld approximately 35mm once it has established, but will progressively take it
down to 12mm during the cricket season. I power wash my main machinery once a week, or at least blow the cylinder after use, and I feed the square every 4-6 weeks during the season to keep the leaf and roots as healthy as possible.”
Tom is keen for the club to enhance the ecology around the site, especially as it is situated right next to Stanley Park, a fantastic area for ecology with its incredible selection of trees and greenery. “We do have wildfl ower areas around the ground which are allowed to fl ower and set seed before a regular mowing regime starts. We do get a good number of birds visiting the site, and we regularly see Oyster Catchers on the square; this year, I plan to put up some bird boxes. We are careful when applying products to reduce the amount of chemical runoff into the drains. We also have gardens that are maintained, and rainwater harvesting is being considered at the site.” After playing cricket in Australia, Sam needed to focus on his career, which involved staying close to his passion. So,
when he was off ered the chance to work at Barrow Golf Club as an apprentice and gain his NVQ Levels 1 and 2 at Myerscough College, he jumped at the chance, knowing this would help him get the experience he would need to one day become a cricket groundsman. “After a few years, I joined South Lake Services, a contracting company that looked after the turf and gardens at schools, posh houses and holiday lodges. Two years ago, I was given the dream opportunity to join Blackpool CC as an assistant groundsman by the chairman; I snapped his hands off . Initially came here with the promise of gaining experience under the Head Groundsman Chris Mackay, but then he left after two months. I was then made Head Groundsman, throwing me in at the deep end. I had little knowledge of maintaining a square and that is when Tom stepped in to help me out. Since 2019, he has guided me through the maintenance, renovation and feeding processes, and I have also gained a lot of experience by just doing the job.”
Sam (left) and his mentor Tom Myerscough 72 PC April/May 2021
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