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The Art of Fixture Management: Lessons from Edgbaston Stadium

October 28, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

The Art of Fixture Management: Lessons from Edgbaston Stadium Gary Barwell, Head of Sports Turf at Edgbaston Stadium, discusses how an increasingly complex cricket calendar is impacting groundcare, and offers his fixture management learnings from a 30-year career. How would you describe the scale and complexity of managing fixtures at Edgbaston Stadium today, and how […]

Sport’s Governing Bodies Back SALTEX as Landmark 80th Edition Approaches

October 27, 2026/in Events, News, Press Release/by Admin

Sport’s Governing Bodies Back SALTEX as Landmark 80th Edition Approaches With the Rugby Football Union (RFU), Rugby Football League (RFL), England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), The Football Association (FA) and Football Foundation represented, SALTEX continues to provide a unique platform where grounds professionals, volunteers, clubs and sporting organisations come together to share knowledge, discover […]

The Art of Fixture Management: Lessons from Edgbaston Stadium

October 28, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Sport’s Governing Bodies Back SALTEX as Landmark 80th Edition Approaches

October 27, 2026/in Events, News, Press Release/by Admin

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

The Art of Fixture Management: Lessons from Edgbaston Stadium

October 28, 2026/in News, Press Release/by Admin

The Art of Fixture Management: Lessons from Edgbaston Stadium

Gary Barwell, Head of Sports Turf at Edgbaston Stadium, discusses how an increasingly complex cricket calendar is impacting groundcare, and offers his fixture management learnings from a 30-year career.

The Art of Fixture Management: Lessons from Edgbaston Stadium

How would you describe the scale and complexity of managing fixtures at Edgbaston Stadium today, and how has this changed since you started the job?

When I started at Edgbaston Stadium in 2011, we used to have 21 match days. Fast forward to 2026, and over the last couple of years we’ve consistently delivered 48 match days. To say we’ve virtually doubled – and a bit more – in just the time I’ve been here shows how unbelievably busy we are.

We now deliver tier one men’s and women’s fixtures, international men and women’s fixtures, and fixtures for The Hundred too. I think the scale of this growth and the added complexity that comes with it speaks for itself. We’ve now got less time than ever to turn around a field, while the increased usage naturally creates added stress on the plant that needs to be managed.

With such a busy fixture calendar, how do you make sure the field remains healthy and presentable?

One of the key things that we do to ensure the field remains really healthy is extensive monitoring. We constantly monitor the field with moisture probes and Clegg readings, and we’ve also got a programme of when to fertilise, while keeping an eye on things like wetting agents and micronutrients. In my opinion, a data-driven approach should be the foundation of any good turf management strategy.

How does preparing the field for The Hundred compare to preparing it for something like an international fixture?

It might come as a surprise, but every pitch is exactly the same. We don’t prepare anything any differently. The only thing that really changes is the height of the cut, which itself is dependent on the time of year, the weather conditions, and the type of match. We aim to maintain the same high standards regardless of the fixture or competition.

In the 24 hours leading up to an international test match, what does your preparation look like?

The final 24 hours is all about final preparations. This is when we start to trim the pitch with the Dennis Razor Ultra, which is our fine turf mower, while one of my team will be out with a SISIS Combirake. When we’ve done all of that, depending on where the pitch is at, if we need to do that sort of process again then we will, but generally it’s about letting it dry and seeing where the pitch is ready for the following day.

In your career, has there been a fixture or occasion that you have found particularly difficult to prepare for?

This is a question that comes up a lot for me. I remember we once played a test match, and a week later we had the England vs India one-day international (ODI). And then three days after that we had T20 finals day.

In my head at the time, because I was so tired, the T20 finals day field just wasn’t right. It didn’t look good, there was too much grass on it, and it was too green. On reflection though, I can see that it was probably one of the best T20 finals day pitches we’d ever produced.

Because I was mentally exhausted, everything that was a millimetre out of place was an inch, which I think really highlights the mental fatigue that we go under to produce a high-quality surface.

How important is your kit in keeping to schedule, and what does your Dennis mower allow you to do that other machines can’t?

I did use a line once which was ‘behind every pitch is a person’, though I also believe that ‘behind every pitch is a piece of kit’ too. Simply put, the Dennis mowers have been amazing for the stadium.

This is firstly based on how good the staff’s feedback has been. They absolutely love the machines, and they love using them. The fact that an apprentice can join us, we can train them up over a couple of weeks, and then they’re off cutting the outfield like they’ve been doing it all their life. That’s all down to the ease-of-use of the mower.

More importantly, the level and quality of service is great – always delivered on time, and generally just a really professional company to work with.

With the cricket calendar continuing to evolve, what fixture-management challenges do you see on the horizon?

Pitch performance is one of the highest priorities for cricket, and having a quality pitch to have quality games on is important. Currently, I think cricket around the country is at saturation point. We need to have a complete reset of how the summer looks so that we can deliver everything for everyone, but in a more manageable way. That goes for the players, ground staff, operations staff, and spectators that are coming to view the game.

Find out more about Dennis mowers.

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Sport’s Governing Bodies Back SALTEX as Landmark 80th Edition Approaches

October 27, 2026/in Events, News, Press Release/by Admin

Sport’s Governing Bodies Back SALTEX as Landmark 80th Edition Approaches

With the Rugby Football Union (RFU), Rugby Football League (RFL), England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), The Football Association (FA) and Football Foundation represented, SALTEX continues to provide a unique platform where grounds professionals, volunteers, clubs and sporting organisations come together to share knowledge, discover innovation and access expertise that supports sport from grassroots to elite level.

Sport’s Governing Bodies Back SALTEX as Landmark 80th Edition Approaches

Ted Mitchell, National Facilities Development Manager, England Rugby, said: “The quality of a playing surface has a direct impact on the experience of everyone involved in rugby union, from the players taking to the pitch to the volunteers and grounds teams working tirelessly behind the scenes. SALTEX provides an important opportunity for the rugby community to share knowledge, explore new approaches and understand the developments that can help improve facilities at every level of the game.

“The RFU is pleased to continue its support of SALTEX in 2026 and to be part of an event that brings together the people, expertise and ideas helping to shape the future of sports grounds management.”

John McMullen, National Clubs Manager at Rugby Football League, said: “Rugby league clubs operate in a wide range of environments, but the importance of well-maintained, safe and sustainable facilities is universal. SALTEX gives clubs and grounds teams an opportunity to see what is changing across the industry, learn from others and access practical ideas that can make a real difference to their facilities.

“The strength of SALTEX is the breadth of people it brings together, from professional venues to community clubs and volunteers, creating a valuable space for collaboration and sharing knowledge across the game.”

Dr Iain James, Head of Facilities Services at The England & Wales Cricket Board said: ‘Following a year of record fixture numbers, delivered in a very challenging drought, ECB are acutely aware of how vital volunteer and employed grounds managers are to making cricket happen across the country. We work with our partners, the GMA, to deliver training and create local events for grounds managers to meet and share ideas.

SALTEX provides an excellent opportunity for grounds managers in cricket to get face to face with the industry that supports what they do, to see the latest technology and look at the solutions to those pitch challenges such as drought. It is also a great place to hear from grounds managers and other experts who are facing the same challenges, meet the GMA team working to support cricket grounds managers and most importantly to meet and network with other grounds managers just like you, facing the same challenges and making cricket happen.’

Chris Smith, Head of Programmes at the Football Foundation said: “Great football starts with great facilities, and the people responsible for maintaining those facilities play a hugely important role in making football possible in communities across the country. With the support of our partners, the Premier League, The FA and Government, the Football Foundation is working with the individuals in communities across the country who make sure pitches are ready for action, week in, week out.

“We are on a mission to improve the standard of pitches across the country, with an aim of ensuring grassroots football has 20,000 good-quality pitches by 2030. We know that the hard work of volunteers across the country will be vital in helping us achieve this aim. Having access to the right knowledge, equipment and funding can make a significant difference to pitch quality.

“We’re pleased to support SALTEX 2026 and help ensure that the people maintaining pitches at every level have the information and connections they need to ensure everyone has access to a great place to play.”

Bringing the Industry Together

One of SALTEX’s greatest strengths is its ability to unite every part of the sports grounds sector under one roof. Alongside leading governing bodies and industry organisations, visitors can engage with hundreds of exhibitors, explore the latest machinery, technologies and sustainable solutions, benefit from more than 30 hours of free Learning LIVE educational content, and connect with peers facing similar challenges across the industry.

Whether responsible for a professional stadium, school or college sports facility, local authority venue or volunteer-led community club, attendees can access practical advice, discover new solutions and build valuable connections that help create safer, more sustainable and higher-quality playing environments.
Jason Booth, Chief Operating Officer of the Grounds Management Association, said: “The organisations represented at SALTEX share a common ambition: creating better places for people to play sport. By bringing together governing bodies, funding organisations, grounds professionals, volunteers, educators and suppliers, SALTEX creates an unrivalled environment for collaboration, innovation and knowledge sharing.

“As we celebrate the event’s 80th edition, we’re proud to welcome the organisations that play such an important role in supporting facilities, participation and the long-term sustainability of sport across the UK. Their continued support reflects the value SALTEX provides to everyone involved in the delivery and maintenance of sports facilities.”
As the sports grounds community comes together for the landmark 80th edition, SALTEX 2026 will once again serve as a catalyst for collaboration, innovation and professional development, helping ensure that sports facilities across the UK continue to meet the evolving needs of players, clubs and communities.

Join the organisations helping to shape the future of sports facilities and grounds management. Register for free to attend SALTEX 2026, taking place on 11-12 November at the NEC Birmingham.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

The Art of Fixture Management: Lessons from Edgbaston Stadium

Sport’s Governing Bodies Back SALTEX as Landmark 80th Edition Approaches

The Art of Fixture Management: Lessons from Edgbaston Stadium

Sport’s Governing Bodies Back SALTEX as Landmark 80th Edition Approaches

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

The Art of Fixture Management: Lessons from Edgbaston Stadium

The Art of Fixture Management: Lessons from Edgbaston Stadium

Sport’s Governing Bodies Back SALTEX as Landmark 80th Edition Approaches

Sport’s Governing Bodies Back SALTEX as Landmark 80th Edition Approaches

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