sports surfaces
New courts deliver performance and playability
MIDDLESBROUGH’S largest independent tennis club has had its first makeover in 30 years. Tennis World completed the development as
part of its £400,000 investment fund. The first phase of the project involved the
laying of four new indoor carpet courts as well as three new outdoor courts. Matchplay 2 from Playrite was used for both the indoor and
outdoor courts. The courts were produced in the Wimbledon colours of purple and green. “We wanted a needlepunch surface as our research revealed this would be the hardest wearing medium-paced product and would be a great surface for all ages and standards,” said Nigel Garton, centre manager at Tennis World. The centre offers tennis activities for all
ages from three to 93. These include coaching for pre-schoolers, mini tennis for four to 10 year olds, a junior programme for 11-18 year olds and adult coaching for all abilities, including regular visually impaired and wheelchair tennis sessions.
www.playrite.co.uk Hybrid grass technology set to transform cricket
SIS Pitches has installed a number of hybrid cricket pitches at County Cricket Clubs across the UK following research with the England and Wales Cricket Board and County Clubs. Research was conducted by cricket pitch specialist Dr Iain James on SISGrass installed pitches at the Kia Oval, home to Surrey County Cricket Club, to provide insight into playability, durability, maintenance and renovation of hybrid wickets. The report found that the pitches improved
surface stability, reduced wear, reduced bowler foot holes and significantly extended hours of playing time. Further research is being carried out to determine whether there is increased pace and carry, and more consistent bounce from hybrid pitches. The pitches combine a majority of natural
turf grass with less than five per cent of soft polyethylene yarn, a system which has also been used to improve the quality of golf tees, goal areas, tennis courts and pitch surrounds. In addition, repair works after play were reduced with a faster grass recovery time, while the surface remained more than 95 per cent natural turf, meaning it will still behave like a normal wicket. “This product has the potential to be a real gamechanger for the future of cricket, particularly in the lucrative, limited over,
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pactfacilities.co.uk
whiteball form of the game through increased usage and possible freeing up of central TV pitches, most importantly, without sacrificing quality over quantity,” said Chris Wood, ECB’s pitches consultant. Weighing less than two tonnes and standing
at 1.20m wide and 2m in length, the SISGrass Universal machine provides quick, accurate and flexible stitching, with different depths and spacing using precise laser guidance making it a practical solution for groundskeepers who are challenged to maintain uniform grass
quality in high-wear areas. One 10ft cricket pitch strip contains approximately 190,000 individual stitches of SISGrass fibre, made up of 46kg of yarn, totalling 38km, and can be installed in just five hours using SISGrass Universal. After installation, pitches are maintained for
a minimum of eight weeks to allow the profile to settle and for all holes to close and anchor the SISGrass fibres.
www.sispitches.com
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