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NEWS ARTICLES

2017 Marks The 15th Anniversary For Climate Cover System™

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2017 marks the 15th anniversary of total-play Ltd’s flagship cricket ground cover the Climate Cover System™. Its revolutionary design has remained unchanged since the product’s launch, and it is still the only truly breathable flat sheet cricket pitch cover on the market.

Developed by former first class groundsman David Bates in conjunction with a team of scientists, the Climate Cover System™ is designed by cricket groundsmen for the cricket groundsman. Its fabric has been selected to be extremely strong and both translucent and breathable. This importantly allows both light and air to pass through; protecting the pitch from rain whilst allowing vapour to escape and ensuring the grass plant continues to grow underneath – attributes that mean the covers can be left in place for far longer periods than traditional flat sheet cricket pitch covers.

This, alongside its lightweight and easy to deploy design make it a key piece of kit which can be found in use at the ECB National Academy, Lords cricket ground, test match grounds, county grounds, schools and local league clubs across the country. total-play Ltd MD, David Bates says:
“When we first developed the Climate Cover System™ I wanted to create something that helped to improve our pitches and would change the way cricket groundsmen used flat sheets. Having been in their shoes I understand the challenges involved in preparing first-class match pitches and wanted to give groundsmen everywhere a product that is practical but also didn’t harm the grass plant.

“We always strive to ensure our products are the best they can be and we have tweaked the product over the years but the fundamentals have stayed the same – it’s been a case of ‘If it ain’t broke, why fix it?’.

“It’s also great to see so many smaller clubs now using the system – it’s always been a popular solution at the top end of the game, but we’re seeing sales to league and even non-league clubs increase. Thanks to the ECB and other funding streams clubs are being given the opportunity to invest in better solutions for their ground, and many are recognising the Climate Cover System™ as a great long-term investment.”

One recent satisfied customer is John Chaffin of Veryan CC in Cornwall, which purchased a Climate Cover System™ last summer, who says:
“The cover itself is brilliant, as a small village club it’s hard finding people to help with the groundwork so having a cover that’s light enough to put on and take off by yourself is amazing. The storage bag provided allows easy transportation and the cover being so breathable has allowed us to have the cover on for days at a time.”

New Seed Mixture For Faster Play And Enhanced Ecology

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Germinal has added a new seed mixture to its Grade A range of sports seed products with the launch of a new semi-rough mixture for golf courses. Designed specifically for use along the border between fairway and rough areas, A32 Ecological Rough is made up of five different grass species, all of which have been selected to produce a thin, easy to manage grass sward with added ecological benefits.

A32 Ecological Rough has been designed specifically to enable greenkeepers to create fairway margins which adhere to the R&A’s guidelines regarding Pace and Play which state that: ‘Much time can be lost during a round as a result of searching for balls in the rough; it is also a source of much frustration for golfers. Time spent searching for balls can be reduced in the following ways; generally reducing the severity of rough so that, while the rough still provides a challenge, it is less likely to conceal a ball.’

Comprising 60% Corail (strong creeping red fescue), 15% sweet vernal grass, 15% Teno (small leaved Timothy), 5% AberÆRoyal (browntop bentgrass), and 5% crested dogstail, A32 produces a sward with very thin growth habits with wispy seed heads that don’t usually exceed 30-60 cm in height. These species also offer an attractive and diverse display of foliage throughout the summer, and create a valuable habitat for many species of native wildlife.

“A32 provides the perfect buffer between fairways and more off-line areas of play,” explains Richard Brown, Germinal’s Amenity Sales Manager. “It creates an easy to manage sward which can be maintained via infrequent cutting to create a thin, semi-rough environment that enables rapid ball retrieval and onward play. It also creates an ecologically valuable, natural grassland habitat, acting as an extension to wildlife-rich areas of thicker rough.”

Sophie Vukelic, Ecology and Environment Consultant at the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI) explains the ecological value of creating enhanced semi-rough environments: “Grasses are vitally important from an ecological viewpoint,” she describes. “They are the principle components of all grassland habitats, with different species providing unique diversity within machair to the north and chalk downlands in the south. These habitats provide food, shelter and vantage for a range of wildlife communities and are particularly valuable for molluscs through to invertebrates, bryophytes and small mammals. Often unappreciated are the secondary benefits of grasslands, which, by their presence, provide important food resources for bats and birds.”

Additional flower and heather species from Germinal’s extensive portfolio of wildflower seeds can also be added to the standard A32 mixture, giving greenkeepers and course managers the option to create their own bespoke seed mixture. “All of our wildflower mixtures have been deemed ‘Perfect for Pollinators’ by the Royal Horticultural Society,” Richard Brown continues. “That enables greenkeepers to create an enhanced ecological habitat whilst at the same time giving their courses a unique and definitive visual appearance.”

A33 Habitat Mixture
Germinal has also added a new wildlife-specific seed mixture to its 2017 seed offering: A33 Habitat Mixture provides the perfect mix of grass seeds to create an enhanced habitat for bees, bats and butterflies within semi-rough areas and along the edges of fairways.

A33 Habitat Mixture contains 35% Corail (strong creeping red fescue), 30% AberÆCharm (slender creeping red fescue), 5% red clover, 10% sweet vernal grass, 15% small leaved Timothy and 5% quaking grass.

Complete Weed Control pull out of BTME and SALTEX

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In a company statement, Ian Graham – managing director of Complete Weed Control has announced that the company will no longer exhibit at BTME or SALTEX.

“Historically both shows have been successful events which have resulted in good levels of interest. However, BTME and SALTEX enquiry numbers and values have been in steady decline. As a consequence our continuing presence has become a topic of conversation each year.

“We have attended the two exhibitions since 1983 and therefore our decision to withdraw has not being an easy one. Overall, the budget for both shows, including stand space, time and all other associated costs, runs into many tens of thousands of pounds. We are very confident that this sum of money will be better diverted into digital and online channels where we have seen an increase in enquiry levels over the same period.”

“It is also our intention to put together a series of regional events where we can invite existing and potential clients along to discuss the various services we can provide.
Our opinion is that trade shows in general are becoming obsolete as a consequence of the success of digital platforms. Customers can find information quickly and at their own convenience whilst vendors are far more willing to visit a client for bespoke demonstration of their equipment or services.

We will continue to attend both shows in the capacity of visitors and wish both BTME and SALTEX the very best for the future.”

For more information, please contact Complete Weed Control’s national office on 01325 324 277 or visit www.completeweedcontrol.co.uk

You can also follow Complete Weed Control on Twitter @CWCLimited

Souters Sports put on a royal performance

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Souters Sports have been commended by Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate in York after the company completed a multi-million pound project which involved a total re-development of the school’s existing playing fields and transforming them into professional sports pitches.

Queen Ethelburga’s, set in over 100 acres of manicured country park in the Vale of York, is ranked as the North of England’s academically most successful, independent co-educational day and boarding school. The school caters for girls and boys from 3 months to 19 years old, offering day, weekly and full boarding places. Founded in 1912, the school boasts exceptional academic success and 2016 saw the school’s best ever year for A-level results with over 98% of Year 13 going on to the UK’s best universities.

Standards are incredibly high at Queen Ethelburga’s, which is highlighted by the school’s recent decision to invest over £80m in new resources and facilities. When the school announced that it was looking for a total re-development of the existing playing fields, it was imperative that they selected the best company to embark on the new multi-million pound project.

A project of this magnitude enticed sports turf contractors from all over the country and a rigorous tender process ensued. Souters Sports were part of the process from the very beginning and soon found themselves in the final two. However, there could only be one winner and Amy Martin, CEO of Queen Ethelburga’s based at Thorpe Underwood Estate, gave her reasons as to why Souters Sports won the contract.

“When you know that you want a project completed to the highest possible standard, you actually start looking at every detail of the tender process. Souters’ presentation was immaculate – it was well presented, well put together and covered every piece of information we were after. They were the most professional company that we met with and they were ready to grab the project with both hands and that was what we were looking for.”

The mammoth project commenced in late March 2015 – the site was set-up and earth works began to cultivate and the re-levelling of the existing areas was carried out. The works progressed quickly on the initial project which included:

  • 1 cricket area comprising of 6 wicket squares (5 natural and 1 synthetic) and an outfield area.
  • 1 full size football pitch.
  • 1 full size rugby pitch.
  • 5 smaller pitches of varying sizes for dual-use football and rugby.
  • Full drainage systems. Full irrigation system.
  • Network of footpaths.

In a matter of weeks the Souters’ team had installed the drainage and irrigation systems and preparation of the footpaths had begun. However, the team soon faced somewhat of a huge curve ball after the installation of a huge LED floodlighting scheme was added to the project.

Ground investigations identified that over 50% of the site was made up of sand which posed problems for the sizes of bases and installation as it was key to ensuring stability for wind loading of the columns once installed. The sizes of the holes that had to be excavated meant that significant impact and damage was sustained to the already completed works.

Nonetheless, the Souters’ team rose to the challenge and soon overcame the issue.

“When we decided that we would add in floodlighting we changed the goal posts massively,” says Amy. “They (Souters Sports) have a great can-do attitude – and as a team they just started looking to solve the problem instantly. In fact they actually adapted their way of working to suit us, which I don’t think you find in many contractors these days.”

Going above and beyond the call of duty, Souters’ were tasked with other additional work throughout the project which included the supply and installation of a six bay cricket practice net facility; two single multi-games areas for football basketball and netball; one larger multi-games area for netball, tennis and basketball; an upgrade of the existing hockey pitch irrigation system which included a full remote control system; the installation of perimeter fencing for the wet hockey pitch and the artificial hockey pitch; the installation of ball-stop netting systems to all the natural turf and synthetic pitches; redevelopment of a recreational pitch for general play including drainage and natural turf surface; redevelopment of the existing back field which included re-levelling, drainage installation and natural turf surface to allow a further football pitch and two rugby pitches; installation of drainage lift pumps to recycle water from the drainage system and reservoir back into the irrigation system; and additional paving and reinforced vehicle crossing points.

Within 18 months the project was completed and Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate now boasts arguably one of the finest sporting facilities in Europe.

“It truly is an amazing facility, says Amy “The kids love it, the England FA Ladies under 18’s love it, the Bath rugby team love it and even the Brownlee brothers who cut the ribbon to officially open it said it was fantastic. It’s all big names and sports teams that are saying how good the facility is and that speaks far more highly than myself saying how great it is.”
“Overall, I would highly recommend Souters Sports because I’m incredibly happy with the work they carried out. Right from the start they were very good – they are just an excellent and highly professional firm.”

One man’s obsession brings joy to Morton faithful

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Mark Farrell is an odd fellow. His lean physique, his weather-beaten face, his calloused hands: this is a man who works outdoors, come shine, or, this being the west of Scotland, thumping rain.

But it’s his particular passion that marks him out as different from we mortals. This singular, migrant Mancunian is fixated by a special rectangular plot of dear, green land, a place of worship for hundreds if not quite thousands.

Pity his wife, Tracey, as he paces the living room in Ardgowan Street, Greenock, of a Friday evening, eyes fixed on glowering skies, muttering. His girls, Scarlet, six, and Olivia, four, know well enough to leave Daddy well alone at stressful times like this.

Mark is groundsman at Cappielow Park, home to Scottish Championship side Greenock Morton, and nothing – outside family – matters more to him than his domain, 100 metres long, and 68 metres wide. And groundstaff matter.

Just ask Ken Hare. His plight secured heartless Southend United some rare column inches in the national sports pages last week. A frozen Roots Hall pitch meant the clash against Bolton Wanderers was called off – and led to his summary sacking.

This just one week after Southend had tweeted praise for making sure the pitch was perfect for Rochdale’s visit – and after Mr Hare’s unblemished 27 years of service. He is now pondering legal action and fans are petitioning for his reinstatement.

No such problems for our Morton man, though. Your correspondent may be biased, but this seems to be the finest playing surface anywhere, and light years ahead of the boggy mire of the old days when free-scoring Andy Ritchie, Bobby Thomson and John McNeil fired us to the top of the Premier League for a glorious weekend or three way back in 1979.

To ask Mark, 40, why is to unleash an excited tirade of horticultural gobbledygook: of verti-cutting; rye-grass surfacing; top-dressing; time-tabled line-painting and mowing (with the 12-year-old tractor bought for a snip from Queen of the South when they went plastic) to exactly 25mm the day before a match. Little wonder, perhaps, that Tracey’s eyes can glass over sometimes.

“I can’t stop thinking about it. I can be at the lights in traffic, or watching the kids’ nativity play, or shopping in the supermarket, and I’m worrying away about the pitch and its condition. You’ve got to be on top of what needs to be done all the time. We’ve always played football on the deck, so it’s got to be right.”

The art of the groundsman had become much more of a science since the days of treacle-like conditions at the likes of the Baseball Ground in the mid-seventies. At the top end of the game, it’s big business now.

Of the 44 pitches in the top two flights in England, 43 of them are boosted by plastic fibres. They prevent pitches cutting up. And all of them have undersoil heating and pop-up sprinklers.

None of this, though, at Cappielow. Elbow grease and expertise garnered through jobs as golf-course green-keeper are key to a playing surface which now hosts 55 matches a year. As well as providing Jim Duffy’s side with the best surface in the league, it earns the club precious income: Scotland under-20s play there, and the Celtic youngsters do too. Barcelona’s kids have graced the turf here too.

Time, then, to salute Mark Farrell, just one of tens of thousands of unsung heroes up and down the land. They make Saturday afternoons special for us all.

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