artificial surfaces
First hybrid pitch trial in cricket
WORKING with SIS Pitches, the ECB has installed two trial wickets at the National Cricket Performance Centre using SISGrass Universal. The pitches combine a majority of natural turf grass with around five per cent of twisted yarn to offer speed, mobility and precision. In football, that has led to considerable improvements in stability and durability and is being used in the Luzhniki Stadium for the 2018 World Cup Final in Russia. “This goes back several years to a
conversation I had with Darren Baldwin, the head groundsman of Tottenham Hotspur,” says Chris Wood, ECB pitch consultant. “The majority of Premier League venues now
use hybrid pitches, and even to the casual observer of football, I think it’s obvious that those pitches have been of a far more consistently high quality.” That is because introducing a relatively small
amount of artificial twisted yarn greatly improves the stability of the surface underfoot, and allows the sward to endure the long football season with a consistent playing performance. “We’ve had to wait to apply this technique to cricket – there have been semi-hybrid pitches,
The England Cricket Board is trialing a hybrid pitch system to investigate potential advantages for the sport, especially for the recreational game.
but using artificial turf with cricket loam infill rather than natural grass. But now SISGrass have developed a new, more compact stitching unit than has been used for football,” he says. One pitch has been laid on the square at the
Loughbrough centre and the other in the outdoor nets. A straw-coloured yarn has been used to make them look as authentic as possible. Possible advantages are increased durability of pitches for matchplay and practice, with prolonged uniformity of grass cover. The reinforced turf system features patented
fibre injection technology, utilising yarn that is tested to FIFA recommendations, which offers increased surface stability, more playing hours and faster recovery than 100 per cent natural grass surfaces. “It is very exciting to be partnering with the
ECB on this project. SISGrass Universal has already made a big impact on the industry across all sports that haven’t been able to access the benefits of hybrid pitch systems in the past,” says Phil Blackwell, SISGrass director in the UK.
www.sispitches.com pactfacilities.co.uk 39
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