Tag Archive for: cricket

MM50 Chosen For Cricket Squares

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MM50 Chosen For Cricket Squares: After a successful trial, Jamie Foyster – owner of Sportsturf Management, has taken the decision to exclusively use Limagrain’s MM50 grass seed across each cricket square he tends to.

It is safe to say that Jamie Foyster knows a thing or two about cricket squares – he was introduced to the sport at the age of 10 as a player and was then helping to prepare and maintaining pitches by 15 at his local club. This continued over two decades and even though he was working in another job he still continued to work voluntarily on cricket pitches until he had an opportunity to join Sportsturf Management in 2008.

MM50 Chosen For Cricket Squares

Jamie took over the sole ownership of the business in 2012 and it was also at this stage that he first became acquainted with Limagrain UK.

“I wasn’t happy with my existing supplier – the seed just wasn’t performing as I wanted it to. We had an incredibly wet season that year and in the autumn I trialled MM50 on two cricket squares. Very soon it was apparent that the germination rate, the development and the root density was fantastic.

“However, the real test came in the summer of the following year, and for me the wear tolerance and the recovery rate was just superb. That sealed the deal for me and since then I have converted all my squares to MM50.”

MM50 possesses exceptional shoot density along with tolerance to close mowing making it particularly suitable for cricket squares. This superior mix contains the perennial ryegrass cultivars, Venice, Alison and Malibu, which are renowned for providing a great sward for cricket use. As Jamie reports, other key features of MM50 include fast recovery from wear and damage and high disease resistance.

It is products such as MM50 which is a direct result of Limagrain’s continual investment into research and development. The company is a major supporter of research partnerships with universities and institutes which will continue to help provide new varieties through plant breeding giving groundsmen and greenkeepers solutions in future turf management.

“Products and technology have come such a long way in the past decade,” says Jamie. “Machinery, seeds, fertilisers, you name it – they have all advanced massively. For example you just have to look at germination rates now compared to a few years ago. In this respect I would have to single out HEADSTART® GOLD seed coating.”

MM50 Chosen For Cricket Squares

MM50 is treated with HEADSTART® GOLD – Limagrain’s unique seaweed based seed treatment which helps to ensure rapid and even germination. This tried and tested grass seed treatment helps the seed get off to the best possible start – making it ideal to use in the less than favourable conditions that can sometimes be found on cricket pitches during renovations.

HEADSTART® GOLD is perhaps at its most beneficial when it comes to the fourteen squares that Jamie and his team carry out renovations on each year. In addition, they maintain a further eight squares all year round  – Jamie’s work has quickly caught the eye.

“Others have seen how well MM50 has performed on our squares and they have since started using it. To be honest, I recommend MM50 all the time now and quite a lot of clubs and schools I know of have switched to it.

“It’s just a tremendous package all round from Limagrain. Richard Sheppard (Amenity Seed Sales Specialist) will often come and see me, to see how everything is going and offer advice and support. I don’t even have to ask for that but it is a great service to have.”

For further information, please contact Limagrain UK on 01472 371471 or visit the company’s website www.lgseeds.co.uk/amenity

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Theft At Cricket Club

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Theft At Cricket Club: A warning to be vigilant has been issued by a cricket club after thieves stole some of its expensive groundskeeping equipment.

On Friday morning, the groundsman at Maidenhead and Bray Cricket Club discovered that a storage container in the club’s car park in Bray had been broken into overnight.

Equipment stolen included a square mower and an aerator which are both used to keep the team’s outfield in pristine condition during the season.

Interim secretary Tom Allen told the Advertiser, “When someone does come and steal stuff or vandalise you just think why do it?

“People are volunteering and putting their own time in and this just ruins their hard work.”

The break-in has been reported to the police and the club is now asking fellow teams to keep an eye out for anyone selling similar machinery in the area.

Tom added, “We would just advise other clubs in the area to check nothing has been taken from their clubs and listen out for anyone selling these things.

“We’re lucky it didn’t happen during the season because it will probably take us a few months to replace.

“Let’s just hope that it’s just a one-off and it’s not going to be a spate of break-ins.”

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Meeting Over Slow Cricket Pitch

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Meeting Over Slow Cricket Pitch: Faf du Plessis, the Proteas captain is to meet Cricket South Africa (CSA) officials to discuss the strangely slow SuperSport Park pitch which has remained the focus of attention during the second Test match against India.

SA won by 135 runs and the unhappy Proteas captain will engage CSA on the way forward.

Visiting captain Virat Kohli was happy with the pitch as it suited the Indians and provided turn at some stages.

Du Plessis‚ on the other hand‚ was not happy because they expected pace and bounce to assist fast bowlers Vernon Philander‚ Kagiso Rabada‚ Lungi Ngidi and Morne Morkel.

“I was very concerned when I got here leading up to the Test match‚” he said.

“It did not look like the Centurion pitch I know and that is a concern to be honest.

“I am very honest about good things when it is right and this was an opportunity that we missed.”

Du Plessis said it would not help to blame groundsman Byran Bloy but there must be discussions among all the stakeholders to ensure that this situation does not happen again in future.

“We can blame the groundsman but I think we must blame ourselves because we have made the process where we made sure that CSA are the ones who look after the groundsmen to get the right kind of pitches when we play against teams.

“We never wanted it to be ridiculous‚ we just wanted a pitch with pace and bounce.

“I think there is a concern that we are not getting it right.”

Last year against Bangladesh‚ Du Plessis expressed concern about the slow nature of the pitches in Potchefstroom and Bloemfontein and the trend continued in the first and second tests against India in Cape Town and Pretoria.

“I can think of three or four occasions where over the last 12 months and we needed to be better as a collective.

“That is something that I will be taking up to make sure that we improve.”

Proteas fast bowler Morkel is one of the players who made his feelings known about the SuperSport Park and he said it was like bowling in India.

“I have played here at Centurion all my life and I have never seen a wicket like this‚” Morkel said.

“It is really hard work in the heat and conditions are really tough.

“It is right up there with one of the hardest spells I have played.

“It is unheard of that a spinner can bowl so many overs on the first day.

“We even had the option of opening with a spinner before lunch.

“It really has a subcontinent feel to it‚ which is tough for scoring and tough to get people out‚”

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Fence To Protect Cricket Club

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Fence To Protect Cricket Club: A new fence is set to be constructed around a cricket ground in order to stop vandals driving across the field after a series of attacks.

Officials at Green Lane Cricket Club in Nunroyd Park, Yeadon, believe they are being targeted by someone with a grudge after persistent vandalism over the last few months.

 

CCTV images have captured a 4×4 being driven repeatedly over the ground in the latest incident, churning up the soil and leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. The club was already facing a bill of more than £1,000 from the recent attacks.

Now ward councillors Graham Latty, Pat Latty and Paul Wadsworth have announced they will pay for a fence to protect the ground.

Cllr Graham Latty said: “I and my colleagues have spent a lot of time and money recently in trying to make Nunroyd Park more accessible to more people. Now it is really depressing to find that there are people in Aireborough who just don’t give twopence for the pleasure of others and drive cars all over the grass, ruining the surface.

“So we have decided to use some of the Section106 money from housing developers to install a fence to stop cars from getting into the park. We can’t afford to completely ring the park with fencing so are putting it where it will have most effect, alongside the access road up to the pavilion.

“There have been protests on Facebook that we are wasting money and should just stick large rocks in place to block access and these might stop cars but would not stop bikes and quads. We value the visual appearance of the park and believe that a low fence will not only look better but will be more effective and will not inconvenience walkers.

“This will happen as soon as the parks team can fit it into their schedule.”

A camera at the club captured the latest vandalism, at about 2am on Sunday, showing a light coloured 4×4 with darker colouring down the side.

Groundsman Tommy Powell said: “You can see the number plate, but it is too far away to see the number. It is definitely the same person – and this time it is the worst of the lot.”

“I just feel like walking away now and saying I have had enough. We think it must be someone with a grudge against the club.

“I have to admit I had tears in my eyes when I saw it. I was just lost for words really. They are going to make it unplayable.”

In November Mr Powell appealed for help in catching the hooligans who had left eight-inch deep tracks in the field by driving a vehicle onto it for the fifth time in four weeks – leaving the club with an anticipated bill of well over £1,000. The ground will need to be repaired in the spring, but Mr Powell said they will struggle to meet the cost.

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Tribute To Cricket Groundsman Peter Green

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Tribute To Cricket Groundsman Peter Green: Peter Green was one of Huddersfield cricket’s most popular figures.

The 73-year-old gave a lifetime of dedication to Honley Cricket Club and only last month received the Drakes Huddersfield Cricket League’s highest award, the Fred Stallard Cup.

Presented to an individual who has given long and outstanding service to his club and the game, guests at the league’s annual dinner gave a standing ovation when the award to ‘Mr Honley’ was announced.

The Drakes honour came just weeks after Peter received the Institute of Groundsmanship Special Recognition Award in front of 700 guests at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham.

He has been groundsman at Honley’s pristine Far End Lane ground for the past 40 years.

Peter, who was associated with Honley CC for over 60 years, will be sadly missed by the whole Huddersfield cricket community.

Born in Gilsland, Northumberland, in 1944 (because his father, Leslie, was stationed in the north east with the army at the time), Peter moved to Honley at the age of three – the Green family have been part of the village for centuries.

His father and uncles all played for the club and Peter, who went to Honley Junior School and Holmfirth Secondary (now High School), grew up loving cricket.

He couldn’t wait for his 12th birthday when he was officially allowed to join to play junior cricket and once through the gates he was never going to play anywhere else and his love for the club never waned.

After leaving school Peter worked as a painter and decorator before joining David Brown’s at Meltham, but he then joined The Post Office and worked as a postman until retiring eight years ago.

He married wife Isabel at St Mary’s Church in Honley in 1970. They had a guard of honour with cricket bats and hockey sticks because Isabel played hockey for Huddersfield Ladies and then Colne Valley Ladies.

They passed on their love of sport to sons Martin and James, both of whom have followed in their father’s footsteps and become stalwarts of the Honley club.

Peter had been encouraged by his father and uncles, who took a keen interest in his pathway through junior cricket in the 1950s to the Honley first team, and Peter did likewise for his sons.

In addition to his playing career, Peter served as groundsman, coach and committeeman and, having enjoyed a 50-year playing career, he was rewarded with the Lady Sykes Candlesticks in 1983 (son Martin received the same accolade in 2015).

Peter scored at least 6,711 senior runs and took 88 outfield catches. A talented wicketkeeper, he also had 154 dismissals behind the stumps and twice won the league wicketkeeping prize, the Cyril Thorpe Cup.

He became club groundsman in 1977 and continued in that role until his retirement, due to ill health, earlier this year.

Honley won the Greenwood Trophy (for most improved ground) on four occasions and Peter won the Tom Walker Trophy for best groundsman a record four times.

He forged a close working relationship with the Yorkshire County ground staff and his talents and dedication allowed Honley to regularly stage the Sykes Cup Final, league representative matches and Yorkshire junior games.

Receiving the award from the Institute of Groundsmanship really was the ultimate accolade for all that work.

While working full-time, playing every weekend and looking after the ground, Peter also found time to become a qualified junior coach, spending many hours at junior practice evenings and school indoor nets, not only helping his own lads to love the game, but countless other young players as well.

Family holidays have, for the last 38 years, included an annual trip to St Ives in Cornwall with good friends Bruce and Christine Jakeman – the last earlier this summer while Peter was still well enough to travel – but the Greens followed cricket all around the world.

They supported England on five Ashes tours to Australia – their favourite place being Sydney – in addition to watching the national side in the West Indies and South Africa, but they went to many other places to watch the game.

Peter’s funeral will be at Huddersfield Crematorium on Wednesday, December 20 (10.30am) and Isabel, Martin and James would like everyone to wear colour in celebration of his life.

That celebration will continue at Honley Cricket Club.

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