Problem Deeper Than Pitches

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Problem Deeper Than Pitches: The Vice-president of the Jamaica Cricket Association, Mark Neita, says Windies fast-bowling legend Sir Curtly Ambrose is only partially correct in his assessment that the regional side’s poor showing in New Zealand is down to bad pitches in the Caribbean.

The Windies did not win any matches on the tour having lost both games in the two-match Test series, all three games in the One-Day Internationals and two of the three Twenty20 Internationals, with the other being rained out.

Ambrose, also a former Windies bowling coach, told the Trinidad Guardian newspaper that the pitches in the region need to be suited to both spin and fast bowling, but also allow for batsmen to score runs. He said that this was how it used to be in the past, with the West Indies being considered the best team in the world.

“The pitches in the Caribbean are terrible, and that’s why when we go overseas and the pitches are bouncing, the players are all at sea. We need to get back quick, bouncy pitches in the Caribbean. It will make better players and fast-bowlers,” Ambrose said.

BATTING ALSO WEAK

Neita agrees, saying that pitches today in the region only encourage spin bowling, but he said that the Windies’ batting throughout the series was not good enough.

“Our pitches have not promoted fast bowling and our batsmen’s ability to bat fast bowling,” the former Jamaica wicketkeeper-batsman said. “But I would not say that the reason why we performed so poorly in New Zealand is entirely based on that. For the most part, the batsmen have shown poor technique, poor temperament, and that is a contributing factor in addition to the pitches.

“The pitches have been like this for a long, long time,” he continued. “There’s no pitch in the region now [of the right standard]. If there is, there might be one that you can say is a good pitch for fast bowlers. All our pitches are tailor-made for spin bowlers. It’s right across the board.”

Neita, the Melbourne Cricket Club president, then went on to say that groundsmen across the Caribbean are not given the respect they deserve, unlike their English counterparts.

“In Jamaica, we don’t have professional groundsmen,” he shared. “It is considered almost a demeaning job to be a groundsman, whereas in England, it’s a top job. It is well respected! We think that our groundsmen must be common labourers, although, in reality, it is proven that being a groundsman or a curator of a ground is much more than being a labourer. There’s a lot of science to it. You have to know how much water to put in the pitch and how much grass is needed. You have to know what consistency is all about. Who in the region knows all about that? So here lies our challenge.”

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BASIS Launch New Standard

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BASIS Launch New Standard: BASIS, an independent standard setting and auditing organisation, have launched a new standard aimed at the professional domestic lawn care sector. The Lawn Assured Standard will help to ensure a consistent and high level of practice within the professional lawn care sector. 

Lindsay Smith Boam, BASIS logistics manager, explains that all individuals applying pesticides are expected to work sustainably, effectively and efficiently, in order to protect themselves, the general public and the environment.

“The new voluntary standard has been launched in response to industry demand, and aims to help domestic lawn care contractors demonstrate that they’re operating in a responsible manner to both the public and the regulatory authorities,” she says.

“The benchmarking standard will also help remove any variability across the sector, ensuring a consistent level of performance, as well as improving business credentials,” adds Lindsay.

“BASIS is encouraging, professionals to use the accreditation to prove and promote the quality and value of service to new and current customers.”

To become certified as a Lawn Assured, an organisation or company is expected to complete a self-audit, which covers key areas related to training and certification as well as health and safety regulations, and documentation, such as risk assessments.

Following completion, an on-site audit is required to verify the documentation and check compliance, and that the operator is working in a professional manner, in line with best practice.

Lindsay explains that although BASIS is not an enforcement body, the organisation aims to help companies to meet legal, regulatory and best practice standards. “Our assessment team is highly experienced and can advise and assist as part of the independent site-visit.”

To register for the new standard, or find out more please contact the BASIS office on 01335 343945 or visit the website at www.basis-reg.co.uk.

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Rugby Groundsman Honoured

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Rugby Groundsman Honoured: The great Bard of Welsh rugby, Max Boyce, was recently honoured at the Rugby Union Writers’ Club in London for his services to rugby.

The Glynneath RFC president joined Owen Farrell, Doddie Weir and Wharfedale RFC veteran Michael Harrison in being singled out in front of an audience that included World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont, CEO Brett Gosper, WRU chairman Gareth Davies and CEO Martyn Phillips and British & Irish Lions legends Sir Ian McGeechan and Roger Uttley.


Farrell beat off the challenges of fellow Lions Maro Itoje, Sam Warburton and Jonathan Davies, as well as Exeter coach Rob Baxter, to carry off the RUWC Pat Marshall award for the rugby personality of the year. Ex-Scotland and Lions lock Weir, currently battling Motor Neurone Disease, won the RUWC Special Award, while Boyce and Harrison picked up tankards for their ‘Services to Rugby’.

Harrison played 655 games for Wharfedale and has spent 40 years on the club committee. Boyce can claim 30 years as president at Glynneath and has been the club groundsman for the past dozen or more years. He recently told Peter Jackson, of the Rugby Paper, about his life-long association with his home town team.

”I played a bit at scrum half for the youth team. I was very small and not very good. I also played at openside. Full of heart but not much pace,” recalled Max, of an era when Glynneath were the powerhouse in second class rugby in Wales and Bas Thomas’ ‘Invincibles’ were in the process of reeling off 55 consecutive wins.

A young Dai Morris was learning his trade at the club at the time and while a young Max dreamt of playing in the 1st XV, he is the first to admit he didn’t get very close. ”I didn’t get very close to a first team game, in fact, I was a long, long way away!”

But, as Peter Jackson put it: “There would be no limit to his talent in other directions as a troubadour par excellence with the gold discs and million album sales to prove it. Unable to change the shape of Welsh rugby, he changed the sound instead with his Hymns and Arias brought to a whole new continental audience by the success of the Wales football team at the Euros in France last summer.

“Unlike his constricted playing days, there has never been any limit on Boyce the entertainer, nor on his ability to sharpen new skills in the unlikeliest spheres of expertise. As well as Boyce the bit-part player, miner, musician, comedian, lyricist and perceptive recorder of social history in song, another string has to be added to a very long bow: Boyce the Agronomist.

“His knowledge of grass passes all understanding. His role of honorary groundsman makes him arguably the ultimate one-club man, not that Boyce himself would dare lay claim to such a title. But how many at his age – 74 earlier this season – undertake a job which entails rolled up sleeves and muddied hands?

“Most settle for the less perspiring role as presidential figurehead. The Bard combines his club presidency with the challenging position of groundsman, tackling it with an enthusiasm generated by a lifelong passion for Glynneath and its rugby club.

Max explained where his ‘green fingers’ came from. “A long time ago when I was captain of the local golf club, the committee decided to dig up six greens. I got in touch with the British Turf people and their head agronomist. I didn’t know then what an agronomist was.

“I applied their professional advice to what little knowledge I had at the time to the rugby pitch. It was in a dire state, full of weeds and terrible drainage problems. Often the bottom 20 yards would be under a foot of water.
“Everyone piled in, all twelve of us from all walks of life in a great team effort. We’ve been looking after it now for 20 years. It’s my little hobby and I have to say the standard of pitches in the Championship is pretty good – but not as good as ours. It’s in great nick.”

So, for once, it was Max Boyce the Welsh rugby devotee, rather than Max the great entertainer, who was rewarded for efforts this week. He followed in the footsteps of Treorchy RFC stalwart Bryan James, who was honoured in a similar fashion last year, and received his award from Wale and Lions assistant coach Rob Howley.

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Golf Club In Top Condition

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Golf Club In Top Condition: Finley Golf Club is being kept in top condition, all thanks to its dedicated volunteers.

When visitors arrive at the course, it doesn’t take long to understand why the club is considered among the best courses in the Murray River region.

Finley Golf Club captain Rand Wilson described it as one of the Murray’s best kept secrets.

‘‘I’ve spoken to tourists from the USA and UK who say they’re shocked a town the size of Finley has a golf course and they’re just as shocked with the beautiful condition the course is in,’’ he said.

‘‘We have over 160 members and they all volunteer their time.

‘‘The only paid employees we have are part time bar staff and full time greenkeeper.

‘‘Our motto is ‘the friendly club’ so it’s natural for our members to help out when they can.’’

One of the club’s longest serving volunteers Pam Angove said without the dedication of the the volunteers the club wouldn’t survive.

‘‘The golf club is a great asset for our town and to lose it would be devastating,’’ she said.

‘‘Our president Deb Pyke has managed to gain several grants to help upgrade our facilities such as the kitchen.

‘‘I love volunteering. Every time I come here I have such great fun helping out.’’

The course is under constant care from the greenkeeper and volunteers that help mow the lawns and clean up the course of tree branches and debris.

Maintenance volunteer Barry Wilson said the course is in the best condition it has been in.

‘‘A while ago work needed to be done and the many volunteers like to present a top quality course,’’ he said.

‘‘The course in the last month has been in top condition.

‘‘Trees have been pruned and you can see right through the entire course.

‘‘When we hosted the Riverina Ladies Golf Association Championship we had constant positive feedback of players who want to come back because they admire such a great course.

‘‘Finley should be proud of its golf club.’

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IOG Advises Pay Rise

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IOG Advises Pay Rise: The leading membership organisation for those involved in the management of sports pitches, landscape and amenity facilities in the UK, the Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG), is recommending a 2.5 per cent increase in grounds staff’s national minimum salary bands for 2018. 

But the IOG also advises that a 2.5 per cent increase would, in real terms, equate to an increase of just 0.1 per cent when the projected Consumer Price Index (CPIH) is accounted for.

IOG Advises Pay Rise

However, the IOG says the increase would:

Maintain a sustainable pay structure for all grounds staff
Account for inflationary pressures, and
Ensure grounds staff pay is in line with overall market trends. Most pay awards in the private and leisure sectors are predicted to be two to three per cent in 2018.

Based on independent, industry-wide research, the IOG recommendations also suggest a two per cent extension to the top of each pay band, to allow for greater professional development and to reward experience.

The IOG recommended national basic salary bands for 2018 are:

Grounds manager
£34,909-£54,079

Heads groundsperson
£29,773-£40,863

Deputy head groundsperson/sole charge
£24,358-£31,088

Groundsperson (skilled)
£22,779-£29,059

Groundsperson
£18,250-£23,281

Junior groundsperson
£15,517 (Age 17)

Junior groundsperson
£12,886 (Age 16).

These bands reflect minimum recommended basic salary payment and are based on a 37.5-hour week. Bonuses, overtime and subsistence payments have not been included and are therefore additional.

The IOG also recommends that employers ensure they meet their obligations in terms of maintaining a healthy work-life balance and ensure fair payment for overtime worked – by agreement about the balance between overtime pay, time off in lieu or flexible working.

Regional pay allowances continue to be incorporated into the salary bands and the IOG recommends that higher cost areas of the country should make salary awards at the upper levels of the bands. Regional differences are:

Inner London
£3,751

Outer London
£2,240

Fringe areas
£670-£1,345.

It is expected that the recommended minimum pay rate for a groundsperson in London should be £20,000 – though there is an expectation that most in this category would already be paid above that, in line with previous recommendations.

In addition, £550 per annum should be paid to those in junior groundsperson and groundsperson bands for the successful completion of IOG qualifications such as NVQ Levels 1 and 2, to encourage recruitment and ensure an ongoing focus on training and professional development. With low productivity forecast over the medium term, it is desirable to further incentivise the acquisition of skills, the IOG adds.

The recommendations have been made against a backdrop of economic uncertainty caused by Brexit and a revised (downwards) expectation for GDP growth in 2018 (from 1.7 per cent to 1.4 per cent). Poor productivity is a key factor in economic growth and, while this is notoriously difficult to measure in the leisure industry, it is likely to be a continued depressor of growth.

For the year to October 2017, the CPIH (Consumer Price Inflation – including owner-occupier housing costs) recorded inflation at 2.8 per cent, while the Retail Price Index forecasts 3.6 per cent. In addition, interest rates rose from 0.25 per cent to 0.5 per cent in November 2017 and the National Living Wage, for people over 25 years old, also increased to £7.50 per hour in April 2017. It will rise again by 4.4 per cent, to £7.83, in April 2018.

Average earnings have been lower in the public sector than in the private sector since 2015 – provisional estimates for average earnings put public pay growth at 1.8 per cent compared to 2.3 per cent in the private sector – but in September the government announced the end of the one per cent pay freeze for average public sector pay awards. This year government will consider recommendations of the Pay Review Bodies to inform pay awards.

The research was carried out independently by Myriad Research (www.myriadresearch.co.uk) using a number of data sources for analysis.

While the IOG salary survey reflects the diversity of the industry, the IOG is aiming to undertake a more in-depth analysis of pay scales in elite stadia management, to compare and contrast with global salaries for iconic sports venues. This new level of research will be part of the industry-wide research that the IOG will be undertaking this year.

For more information, visit: www.iog.org

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