Whether you are a groundskeeper at Lord’s or looking after the local village lawn, providing a fine cricket pitch for any standard of player is a matter of pride. But considering they can take a pretty heavy beating in the summer with regular action from one-day to five-day action it can be a tad tricky preparing a wicket that will last the course as well as display the characteristics you want.
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Bounce and Pace
At international level a good cricket pitch is one that plays true (that is, one that displays consistent bounce and pace) across the first couple of days, thus affording batsmen the opportunity to score runs and get value for their shots, but also offers some speed that allows the fast bowlers to get their deliveries through quickly.
From there, ideally you would like the surface to deteriorate slightly through days three and four so that it can offer something for the spinners while offering some movement off the pitch for the quickies as the game moves towards a climax.
Lower Level Cricket
Now of course, at a lower level you may not have the tools and time at your disposal to produce such a wicket, while the Great British weather will likely have its say at some point in the summer and threaten to destroy your work. Despite all the variables however, there are certainly some steps you can take in order to protect yourself from the unknown and produce a cricket pitch to be proud of.
Preparation
Key to producing a good cricket wicket is preparation. Now a good pitch is the product of year-on-year development and prep work and what you can do this season depends on what happened last year. Over the winter months and beyond it is important to treat moss on a cricket pitch and eliminate it at soon as possible. Sadly the presence of moss is generally indicative of an underlying problem. That could be anything from soil with poor nutritional value to poorly drained and compacted soil. Whatever it is, you need to get to the root of the problem, then use a Sulphate of Iron product to eliminate the moss, taking care to remove the plant in order to reduce organic content in the surface which could encourage more moss growth.
The Rolling
Another key to producing a fine wicket is the rolling – this is probably the greatest tool at a groundskeeper disposal. Rolling will compact the ground making it harder and more consistent. Thousands of words can be devoted to the art of rolling and the right time of year to start, but come the spring, that’s when your pre-season rolling should start in earnest. You should aim for a minimum of 20 hours rolling should be done on a ten inch pitch square.
The best place to visit for advice is the England Cricket Board website; they’ve compiled an information-packed guide containing everything you need to know and do to prepare the best pitch possible.
Seed Germination
Other factors such as seed germination and grass establishment are important too. These are of course determined largely by the weather but are key to providing you with the top surface you want. Good soil will withstand the impact of a cricket ball, good grass roots will hold the dry soil together so maintaining your grass and soil is essential. That means drainage, sunlight and rolling – it may be labour intensive but it will ultimately be worth it. Your grass of choice must have tolerance to short mowing and be strong enough to withstand the vigour of a cricket match, while an even coverage that allows no room for moss is vital.
Groundsman
As a groundsman producing a high quality cricket pitch is a real labour of love and it can be frightening that so much effort can be affected by variables like the weather. Tying together all your prep work to ensure you get the wicket you want for the start of a match and so that it isn’t for example over-dry or too green is tricky, but by following our tips and using the resources at your disposal, you should be able to avoid the dreaded sticky wicket and produce a beauty instead.
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Peter South – Sports Blogger and Groundsman blogging for grassform
