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Groundsman Excited To Help Out At Cricket Test

March 9, 2017/in Press Release/by Admin

You can forgive Aorangi Oval part time groundsman Jacques Marais for feeling plenty of excitement ahead of the first test between New Zealand and South Africa starting on Wednesday. Marais has been offered the opportunity of a lifetime to help out at the game. The accountant has been invited by former Aorangi Oval groundsman Mike […]

Mourinho Slams Russian Pitch

March 8, 2017/in Press Release/by Admin

Jose Mourinho wants Manchester United’s Europa League tie against FC Rostov to be postponed after condemning the state of the pitch at the Olimp-2 Stadium. The United manager has questioned how the first leg of their last-16 tie can go ahead after likening the playing surface to the shambolic pitch at the Bird’s Nest in […]

Groundsman Excited To Help Out At Cricket Test

March 9, 2017/in Press Release/by Admin

Mourinho Slams Russian Pitch

March 8, 2017/in Press Release/by Admin

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Groundsman Excited To Help Out At Cricket Test

March 9, 2017/in Press Release/by Admin

You can forgive Aorangi Oval part time groundsman Jacques Marais for feeling plenty of excitement ahead of the first test between New Zealand and South Africa starting on Wednesday.

Marais has been offered the opportunity of a lifetime to help out at the game.

The accountant has been invited by former Aorangi Oval groundsman Mike Davies to come and help him for five days in Dunedin, preparing the ground at beginning and end of each day,and doing touch ups after each session.

Davies, who is the head groundsman at University Oval, spent six seasons working at Aorangi Oval before shifting to Invercargill for a season.

Marais said he was excited at the opportunity to learn off someone like Davies.

“It’ll be a great experience. I hope there’s plenty of cricket played and not much rain.”

He said the chance to ask Davies and his colleagues anything would be highly beneficial.

“I’m going to ask tonnes of questions just to make sure I’m picking up whatever I can.”

After taking charge of Aorangi in August, Marais has transformed the ground from one that was in a poor state last season to a fantastic condition, capable of hosting domestic matches again.

Marais said Davies had been incredibly helpful since he had started in his role.

“He’s always ringing me or sending me a message to see how things are going with the ground and passes on whatever tips he possibly can.

“It’ll be awesome learning face to face I think I’ll pick up so much more rather than over the phone.”

The excursion south, which will be for the duration of the test, would help Marais learn the finer details of what a groundsman’s role involves.

“It’s the nitty gritty stuff that will be very useful, like what I do if there’s been a disease and there’s no grass growing.

“How I begin to prepare a pitch a month out from a big game and any other little tips and pointers like maintaining and looking after the outfield would also be useful.”

Marais, who was born in South Africa, said it was an awesome game to be asked to help out at.

“While it’s cool my country of birth are taking on my adopted home, I would have been excited at any international match at the ground as that opportunity doesn’t come round often.”

He’s hoping he can bring what he’s learned back to his work and pass it round the clubs in Timaru.

“If I can get information to pass on to the different clubs in the region then that would be great. It’d help with some of the pitches in the area.”

To read the original article, click here

Mourinho Slams Russian Pitch

March 8, 2017/in Press Release/by Admin

Jose Mourinho wants Manchester United’s Europa League tie against FC Rostov to be postponed after condemning the state of the pitch at the Olimp-2 Stadium.

The United manager has questioned how the first leg of their last-16 tie can go ahead after likening the playing surface to the shambolic pitch at the Bird’s Nest in Beijing last summer that forced the cancellation of their pre-season tour game against Manchester City.

Mourinho raised his fears about exposing his players to a heightened risk of injury to a Uefa official, only to be told that his squad are insured “so if something happens, no problem.” To postpone the match, United – who are due to train on the pitch today – would have to make a formal request to Uefa by Thursday afternoon.

“It’s still hard for me to believe we are going to play tomorrow,” Mourinho said, before his players were due to train. “I know we have to, but it is hard for me to believe we are going to play tomorrow in that field – if you can call it a field.”

Henrikk Mkhitaryan is available again after a hamstring injury, but Mourinho said he did not know whether he was prepared to risk the Armenia forward and claimed the pitch had thrown his selection plans into turmoil.

“I don’t know what team to play, really,” he said. “I don’t know if Henrikh Mkhitaryan is going to play. I don’t know. I have now a lot to think because I was expecting something more playable. It is very similar pitch in the summer in China when we and Manchester City decided not to play, but it looks like we have to play.

“I didn’t have any contact with anyone until now [about the pitch]. I just had a quick contact with one gentleman from Uefa when I was looking at the pitch and when I told him about my concerns, the gentleman told me the players are insured, so if something happens, no problem.

“I was analysing these very good opponents that we didn’t speak about yet. In their previous matches against Bayern Munich, Ajax, Atletico Madrid, in all these matches it looked for me a very playable pitch and I was very surprised with what I found here today.”

This is not the first time this season Mourinho has had concerns about the state of the playing surface. Aside from the China debacle, when United’s International Champions Cup game against City was cancelled after the pitch was deemed a safety risk, United’s Europa League group game away to Zorya Luhansk in December was also briefly under threat because of a frozen playing surface in Odessa. Hot air had to be pumped on to the pitch in order to make it playable and Mourinho was also unhappy about the state of the pitch in St Etienne for the away leg of United’s last-32 tie.

Daley Blind, the United defender, echoed Mourinho’s concerns but said they could not use the pitch as an excuse if the game goes ahead.

“The pitch is not the best, not good, maybe quality of game will be a bit different, but it doesn’t have to be an excuse for us, we have to try to win, that’s what we’re here for,” Blind said. “The pitch is not good, maybe not for safety as well, but it is no an excuse, we want to win here, try to play a good game, that’s the most important thing.”

Uefa confirmed on Tuesday night that Rostov had agreed not to train on the pitch on Wednesday in order to protect the surface from “unnecessary damage”.

Ivan Daniliants, the Rostov coach, had already issued a warning that United may be in for a shock with the pitch. “The pitch is the same for everyone but it will still be a problem,” said Daniliants. “In the final of the League Cup [at Wembley], Man United played on an ideal lawn – it was like a carpet. When they arrive here, they will be surprised.”

To read to original article, click here

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Groundsman Excited To Help Out At Cricket Test

Mourinho Slams Russian Pitch

Groundsman Excited To Help Out At Cricket Test

Mourinho Slams Russian Pitch

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Groundsman Excited To Help Out At Cricket Test

Mourinho Slams Russian Pitch

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