Tag Archive for: cricket

Schools Into Stadia Heads to Home Of Cricket

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Schools Into Stadia Heads to Home Of Cricket: The Grounds Management Association’s (GMA) NextGen group is taking its inspiring Schools Into Stadia initiative to new turf, literally for the first time, as it heads to the legendary Lord’s Cricket Ground on Friday 27 June for its first ever cricket edition.

Designed to inspire a younger generation of groundspeople, Schools Into Stadia opens the doors to iconic sporting venues, offering local students a rare behind-the-scenes look at the world of grounds management, showing off the wide range of career opportunities in a sector that supports sport, recreation and community spaces across the UK.

Schools Into Stadia Heads to Home Of Cricket

Schools Into Stadia Heads to Home Of Cricket

From pitch prep to turf science, students will get hands-on with the skills and technology that keep the game running smoothly.

Created by the GMA’s passionate NextGen group – rising stars in the industry – Schools Into Stadia is all about sparking curiosity and showcasing the exciting career paths in grounds management. With support from Reesink UK, the initiative is building a future-ready workforce by championing the vital role of grounds teams in sport, recreation and community life.

Having already inspired students at venues like Wimbledon’s All-England Club, Anfield Stadium, Goodison Park and the King Power Stadium, the programme now steps up to the crease at Lord’s – cricket’s most hallowed ground.

The event will see local students experience the day-to-day responsibilities of a groundsperson including pitch preparation and understanding the science behind turf care. They’ll also hear first-hand from professionals about the pathways into the industry and how their work impacts everything from elite sport to grassroots facilities.

With workforce development a growing priority across the sector, initiatives like Schools Into Stadia are a vital part of the GMA’s strategy to engage the next generation and build a sustainable pipeline of talent.

Meg Lay, GMA NextGen Co-Chair and Groundsperson at Lord’s, said: “We’re excited to bring Schools Into Stadia to Lord’s and shine a light on the work that grounds staff do in cricket. Events like this give young people a real glimpse into the industry and help us show that this is a rewarding, hands-on career. If we want a thriving industry in the future, it starts with inspiring the next generation today.”

Lord’s Head Groundsman, Karl McDermott, said: “We’re proud to support the GMA and the NextGen group in delivering this event at Lord’s. Grounds staff play a vital role in making sport possible at every level, and we’re pleased to give students a chance to see that in action at the Home of Cricket. We hope it opens eyes and perhaps even sparks some future careers in the industry.”

To find out more about the GMA NextGen group and how they’re shaping the future of the industry, visit www.thegma.org.uk/nextgen.

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More cricket? No problem for Durham

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More cricket? No problem for Durham: As the old saying goes ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ – exactly the motto of Durham County Cricket Club’s Head Groundsman Vic Demain when it comes to his usage of Johnsons J Premier Wicket.

Now into his seventh season with the 100% perennial ryegrass mixture, he cites the early season establishment, wear tolerance and visual merit as the reasons he’s never considered changing as the club gets set for one of the longest and most intense seasons of cricket to date!

More cricket? No problem for Durham

More cricket? No problem for Durham

It’s not just the number of years clocking up for Vic at the Bank Homes Riverside Stadium, as are the demands on the playing surface – with the season extending at both ends and fixtures starting earlier every year. “The windows we have to get onto the ground have reduced significantly due to the quantity of games and training sessions meaning we rely heavily on having a well established and strong sward going into the season” he explains. “Theoretically this is not too much of a problem, except that we also have to battle the cold and dry northeastern climate!”

“Typically we won’t see consistent growth until the end of May, by which point we can be halfway through our county championship season. This makes speed of germination crucial for our autumn renovation work, achieving that germination before we lose the temperature to ensure we go into the following season with good coverage.”

Not just renowned for rapid establishment, the four top-rated cultivars in J Premier Wicket ensure outstanding wear tolerance, high disease resistance and fineness of leaf for aesthetic and play quality across squares and outfields. “It’s the only seed we use, both for renovations and in-season repairs if and when needed” Vic adds.

“Besides germination, fineness of leaf is also incredibly important to us for both play and presentation purposes. The team and I take incredible pride in how the ground looks from the stands and with J Premier Wicket we get it looking its best from every angle.” He continues, “This is assisted by the fact that we see very little in the way of disease.”

On the topic of assistance, Vic also rates the back up technical support from Martin Stephenson of Aitkens and, more recently, DLF’s Ben Morgan. “I have always had nothing but quality advice from Martin and the DLF technical team, many of whom I’ve known for a good number of years. It’s a great product, at a great price, which performs year after year. Why would I consider using anything else?!”

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Premier Wicket supports premier cricket

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Premier Wicket supports premier cricket: While the cricket season at Hertfordshire’s Aldenham School may not be long in duration it is intense, with students and community clubs using the facilities for training and fixtures between Easter and early July.

The concentrated play demands fast recovery and outstanding wear tolerance from the surfaces and specifically the grass seed – both of which Grounds and Gardens Supervisor Danny Wells says they achieve with Johnsons J Premier Wicket.

Premier Wicket supports premier cricket

Premier Wicket supports premier cricket

Danny is no stranger to the Johnsons Sports Seed range, having used a variety of formulations in his previous role at Arsenal Football Club. On joining Aldenham in the spring of 2024, he was delighted to discover Johnsons had once again been chosen for renovation of the school’s four cricket squares. “It’s always been a brand I’ve known you can rely on to perform so it was reassuring to come to this new role with one less thing to be worried about!”

“The work from the last renovation had clearly paid dividends as, come the end of the season in July, we were still seeing good coverage on the squares and we knew this was only going to improve further with another overseed of J Premier Wicket. We applied the seed at a rate of 60g/m2 and, assisted by mother nature, we were doing the first cut in just two and a half weeks!”

J Premier Wicket blends four top-rated perennial ryegrass cultivars to deliver class-leading wear tolerance, rapid establishment and visual merit. High disease resistance can also be expected as standard – something which Danny compliments. “Despite disease pressure being high this year with the combination of warm and overcast weather, we’ve seen very little in the way of any disease.”

He continues, “Another thing that’s important for us as a multi-sport site is that, when cricket season is over, the squares ideally need to look after themselves. While our focus with the maintenance may be elsewhere, we know come the spring that with this grass seed they’ll be ready for play.”

Danny was also fortunate enough to pay a recent visit to one of DLF’s breeding centres in Holland, as part of a trip organised by distributors Agrovista. “While I know the grass seed, it was fantastic to get an insight into the science and years of research and development that go into ensuring the right varieties make it into the bag. This has only reaffirmed my confidence in the Johnsons range, knowing that as a company they’re working hard to find seed solutions that will help us turf managers overcome the challenges of the future.”

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SISGrass invests in Indian cricket

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SISGrass invests in Indian cricket: Hybrid cricket pitches have been installed at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium in Dharamshala, the first in what is expected to be a series of major projects across India in 2024 and beyond.

Completed by international sports pitches specialist SISGrass in partnership with Indian fine turf specialist company Greater Ten, the work represents the start of a drive towards improved playing surface quality and consistency at both amateur and professional levels, opening the nation’s most popular sport up to millions more people.

SISGrass invests in Indian cricket

SISGrass invests in Indian cricket

SISGrass’s investment in India follows a decision by the International Cricket Council to permit the use of hybrid surfaces for T20 and 50-over competition. After widespread success installing hybrids across English cricket grounds, the SIS team chose India as its next region of development. Paul Taylor, a former England international and SIS’s International Cricket Director, says the decision made sense for several reasons.

“India is home to millions of cricket fans, players and professionals who play almost all year round,” says Taylor. “This huge demand puts pressure on facilities, which can make it difficult for people to access good quality pitches in their local area. Our hybrid system will create far more opportunities for people to participate in the sport, guaranteeing a higher-quality of play at every level of competition.”

The Universal machine used in Dharamshala to install the hybrid surface was first developed by SISGrass in 2017. It injects a small percentage of polymer fibre with the natural turf found inside cricket stadiums. This composition is more resilient to stresses created during play, helping to prolong the life of pitches, guarantee an even bounce and ease pressure on busy groundspeople. Completed installations are predominantly natural grass, with only 5% of polymer fibre used. This ensures the characteristics of an all-natural pitch are maintained.

Speaking about the installation, Mr. R.P. Singh, Hony. President, HPCA, said, “The HPCA has consistently embraced the latest advances in cricket, and we believe SISGrass’s technology will be game-changing.

“Maintaining top-notch practice pitches is crucial for player development, as traditional surfaces struggle under the demands of rigorous training schedules. SISGrass’s integration of natural grass with synthetic fibres creates a robust and durable playing surface, ensuring players are prepared for competitive play. We are confident the installation will pave the way for a brighter future for Indian cricket, not just in Himachal Pradesh but across the nation.”

Hybrids have already been sanctioned by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for T20 and 50-over competitions, and in 2024 they will be used in four-day County Championship matches for the first time. The Universal machine in India will now travel to Ahmedabad and Mumbai, where it will stitch more pitches for practice and match play.

The first machine of its kind, the Universal has already proven effective in the UK, having been used to install SISGrass at almost every major county ground in England. These include Lord’s, The Kia Oval, Edgbaston, Emirates Old Trafford, Trent Bridge, among many others. The machine will remain in India after the first three installations are complete, making it immediately available to other grounds and facilities as projects are approved.

Richard Gould, CEO of ECB, added: “Hybrid pitches have played an important role in enabling some venues to manage an increased amount of cricket during the English summer as the fixture list across men’s and women’s international and domestic cricket has grown.”

The introduction of hybrid pitches represents an important moment for India’s national game, which has championed T20 cricket through the IPL. These shorter formats have been one of the main drivers behind the development of hybrid surfaces, with more intense periods of play making it harder to prepare all-natural surfaces in time for top-level competition.

“Cricket is often associated with tradition but the installation of SISGrass in India is a milestone of progress,” adds Taylor. “Our hybrid pitches will allow for longer periods of play than is possible with all-natural surfaces, helping to maintain a base level of performance for millions of players across the country. But the technology will also potentially transform grassroots-level cricket, giving juniors the chance to play on the same surfaces found in major stadiums. Our expansion in India is an investment in the future of the game at all levels.”

HPCA has already installed SISAir – another specialist technology business that forms part of the wider SIS Pitches portfolio. SISAir is a sports pitch aeration system that optimises root zone growing conditions, creating stronger and more durable grass. During heavy rainfall, SISAir will also remove excess surface water using a series of pipework installed underneath a playing surface. The technology is used widely across major stadia, including Galatasaray’s Rams Park.

For more information on SISGrass, visit: https://www.sispitches.com/sports-pitches/hybrid/installation/cricket

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Top class cricket and irrigation

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Top class cricket and irrigation: The historic Rainham Cricket Club in Kent is all set for the 2024 season and once again the club’s reputation for providing some of the best prepared pitches in the Kent cricket leagues will be demonstrated. This is all thanks to hard working and dedicated volunteer grounds staff as well as the continued support of Holts Irrigation who in 2021 installed a Rain Bird irrigation system.

Glen Cook is the Club’s Groundsman and Secretary. Since retiring after a long playing career, he has dedicated much of his time to the club’s Berengrave Lane home. There are four Saturday teams which compete in the Kent Cricket League and a Sunday team in the Kent Village Cricket League. An extremely popular Colts section provides opportunities for the 9-17 age group of this family orientated club which has a very active social calendar and will celebrate its 170th anniversary in 2026.

Top class cricket and irrigation

Top class cricket and irrigation

Preparing pitches to the highest standard follows a procedure that can take anything from 10-14 days. There are 17 pitches on the Rainham square with at least two in use at any time. In 2021 it became clear that a new approach to pitch preparation was required with irrigation a key issue. This was reliant on connecting a hosepipe to the mains water supply and running across a 50+ metre square. Irrigation could take as long as two days to complete and could include overnight watering.

Not only was the water quantity that reached the square insufficient, but the pressure was too low. There was no prospect of irrigating the square uniformly and, with its slope, water would also run away. A series of long dry spells during that summer also meant that any surface water quickly evaporated.

The club was put in touch with Holts Irrigation, a company with extensive experience in sports turf irrigation. Andre Holt recommended a completely new approach based around the installation of a Rain Bird ESP-RZXe irrigation controller to manage six 950 Series pop up rotor sprinklers, as well as a 10000 litre water tank complete with a Grundfos submersible pump and controller. With close cooperation between grounds staff and Holts Irrigation, the full installation was completed within a week.

Four of the 950 Series rotors with double nozzles and 90º arcs are positioned at the corners of the square and the other two at the side which have 180º arcs. They can throw to a distance of up to 28.0 metres providing head to head 100% uniform coverage across the square. The  ESP-RZXe controller has a large LCD screen and a simple user interface. With its rapid programming feature it was simple for Andre to set up and is ideal for grounds staff to carry out additional manual functions.

The controller offers many irrigation scheduling options and in practice, during the playing season, it runs a minimum of two heads. The rotors are set up to irrigate the pitches that are to be used at the weekend and they are also turned on after play on a Sunday evening.

Glen also has the flexibility to apply additional manual irrigation throughout the season when required during dry spells or when carrying out pitch maintenance including reseeding and repairing used pitches. “ We can put down fertilisers and soil conditioners at any time we feel necessary as we now don’t need to rely on the weather to water it in if we have a dry early spring. We are also no longer reliant on waiting for the right weather before we carry out any renovation work and can simply turn on the irrigation system. This is flexible and convenient as well as helping with conservation, as water is applied only when and where it is needed,” says Glen.

Since the installation, Rainham Cricket Club has received praise for the quality of its playing surfaces. This is down to both the professional care afforded by the volunteer grounds staff and the irrigation regime which prevents the surface breaking up on the strips and helps to provide the right amount of water to repair and prepare wickets for second use during the busy playing season. This has resulted in predictable pace and bounce for bowlers and a consistent safe surface for batsmen. The irrigation system makes it much easier for the grounds staff to build on the great cricket surface already established over recent years by the previous groundsman.

Andre Holt carried out the pre-season checks of the irrigation system in late February 2024 at the same time as Glen and his team started pre-season pitch preparations for the new season. Electrical testing of  the irrigation controller and the pump start were carried out along with water pressure and leakage checks. The rotors and nozzles were checked for correct rotation and arc orientation as well as for  debris that could result in clogging.

The start-up checks and the reliability of the installation means that there will be no need for a return visit from Holts Irrigation until after the end of the season when the system is shut down. “Andre’s knowledge of sports turf irrigation has helped to transform the management and upkeep of our pitches. As the 2024 season progresses and the drier spells become more prolonged and frequent, the irrigation system will really come into its own. It’s been a very worthwhile investment and will virtually guarantee the quality of our playing surfaces throughout the summer,” says Glen.

For more information contact: Holts Irrigation, Heathfield, East Sussex, X: @AndreHotech  and www.rainhamcricketclub.com

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