Message Board - Cricket: So you think you've got problems???
16 Mar 2009 by jontaylor
The following pictures are 100% genuine and were taken by me tonight at a large cricket club somewhere in Lincolnshire. I'll say no more about where, other than thankfully it's not my ground!
My understanding is that the club has a paid groundsman. Sometime in the last month or two someone has scarified the square and scattered a little seed. End of season work was not done last autumn.
The pitch shown in these (poor quality) photos is what the club calls its "clay wicket". This track was used for most, if not all, first team games last season. Today it is clear that there is a layer of clay loam about 15mm thick sitting on top of a very different soil. The plates in the photos are formed on the scarifier lines and are so loose that they can be wobbled with two fingers.
What would you do if this were your ground? My suggestion would be to abandon this track and its neighbour (the two worst on the square) for the season and relay in autumn.
The ciderman rolls
16 Mar 2009 by jontaylor
Pic 2
The ciderman rolls
16 Mar 2009 by jontaylor
Facing the stumps, keys are on a good length
The ciderman rolls
16 Mar 2009 by jontaylor
and the batsman's view
The ciderman rolls
16 Mar 2009 by Chris Thornton
Bloody hell John,
At this time of year I don't know what I would do. Like you say perhaps best left.
Or ...... no I am sorry I don't know what to do.
I feel much better about my square now though!!
The groundsman gets paid as well!
Chris
"He not busy being born is busy dying"
16 Mar 2009 by barry glynn
My solution would be to sack the groundsman
What do I do? I just cut the grass.
16 Mar 2009 by Mal
I think I would agree with you Jon sounds like the real problem is the thin and different layer of soil (apart from the obvious surface problem that will be very difficult to repair given the circumstances) that will need to be addressed at the end of the coming season. Like you I see no short term solution just a long term problem.
Geography is everywhere
16 Mar 2009 by Four Oaks
Perhaps you could scarify on the two diagonals as well, then wait for a dry spell and blow it all away .
Then start again. Only kidding.
I think your idea is better. Have you been asked to sort it out or 'just' advise?
Good luck.
Presentation is the name of the game.
16 Mar 2009 by has 2 mow
Any idea what the original loam content of the square is and what the new one is
long time since i have worked on cricket , i remember one of my first squares that was dressed with 34 % clay content over a nice thatch layer , snapped like glass when dry
If it's out of action for the season , then remove the problem asap , and repair as you know how
16 Mar 2009 by has 2 mow
sorry is the whole square like it or just a few strips ?
If it's the whole square , ??
16 Mar 2009 by jontaylor
Neither.
I like to look at other grounds to see if I can spot good ideas, or learn from other's bad practice. I dropped in on this ground tonight whilst my son was at indoor nets nearby. I happened to have my phone on me to take the pictures. I think this falls into the learn from bad practice category.
The club has been offered help by several parties, the county grounds advisor included. However, you can lead a horse to water - but you can't make some committees take even free advice.
This same club is looking to spend thousands on a new multi-bay practice net, but ( I was told) refused the previous groundsman's request for end of season rennovation funds.
The ciderman rolls
16 Mar 2009 by jontaylor
Has2
Essentially 2 strips. I understand that these are dressed with Surrey loam.
I don't know the underlaying soil - as I say, it's not my ground and I do know that this field drains very differently to mine. The native soil around is very variable - within a few miles you can be on sand, then on peat, next on flood plain silt or sandy clay. What I can say is that the soil under this pale clay and on the outfield was very dark in colour, so clearly different.
The ciderman rolls
16 Mar 2009 by has 2 mow
Hi jon
It's been a long time but surrey loam as i remember was about 26 % clay content but i always felt that it had good binding quality's
If were talking only a couple of strips , and by the look of them you wont want to put a match on them , my suggestion is that you remove the offending cover of loam asap
and prepare the surface accordingly and reseed
17 Mar 2009 by vid
I would break the surface up with a spiker to get some mixing between the 2 layers then scarify to flatten, level with new loam and reseed then bring on with the hope that it will have gained sufficient strength to use in July. There is after all plenty of growing time. However I would still write off a strip as bad as that and just hope that it would become usable later, a layer that obvious will only crack open again and even if it doesnt its unlikely to provide a surface with consistent bounce as the two layers are bound to separate even without cracking
17 Mar 2009 by Mike
Would it be feasable to hollow core and ameliorate new loam into the profile?
17 Mar 2009 by wicketdevil
By the sound of it, its the committee who needs sacking not the groundsman if they won't fund autumn renovation then they get what they deserve my little village club makes sure there is enough money for the materials every year and a few volunteers do the work. The only way this season is not to use these strips and then start again in the autumn . I must admit i'm not a fan of surrey loam in my experience the clay content isn't stable i prefer ongar although i know its not everyones cup of tea. WD
Can you just is the longest sentence in the world !!!!!!!
17 Mar 2009 by Vic Demain
Jon,
Very interesting case this one and I'm sure there are many unknown factors involved. We will all have ideas of what to do, but does this club have the ability to finance such ideas.
The net bays that you say are going in will probably be funded from an outside grant.
What would I do? If my club had the finance to support. Difficult to do this time of year but end of season I would have sprayed off any vegetation, power harrowed the surface added some Ongar loam mixed it all up with the power harrow and oversown. Problem is I would have struggled to get the finance and this groundsman could be in the same boat.
Easy to blame the guy and possibly with every good reason but also he may be fighting a losing battle, either way the members are the ones to suffer.
1 Apr 2009 by Delboy71
As a member of the Committee of the club involved I feel that I must answer this factually incorrect article with certain clarifications.
Firstly, the ground is dual use as a rugby and cricket ground. Whilst the rugby doesn't impact directly on the square, financially the pressure is on as to where the money is spent on the ground.
Secondly, we recently had a change of Groundsman and the previous incumbent must take his share of responsibility for this situation. To say that money was not forthcoming for autumn renovations is completely untrue and is a baseless accusation perpetuated by this disgruntled individual.
Thirdly, it was us that asked for advice from the County Grounds Advisor and that advice has been taken on board. Regarding the other offer of help, that needs to be discussed privately and not on a public message board.
I would like to thank those that gave constructive advice which will be discussed/considered and hope that those who made less constructive comments now understand that the situation is not clear cut (as they never are!!) and that the Committee will resolve this problem given time.
1 Apr 2009 by Philmort
Now all we need is for some of the 'typical councils' we have been hearing about to give their side of the stories!!!
Perhaps we should all be wary of commenting on others' grounds unless invited to do so by those directly involved rather than a third party!
Proud to serve grassroots cricket
2 Apr 2009 by wicketdevil
Fair dues delboy71 as you say if you only have some info. If the money is there then this situation shouldn't have happened and any good groundsman would have done the autumn work at the correct time. What did the county advisor tell you to do. Good Luck for the new season
Can you just is the longest sentence in the world !!!!!!!
2 Apr 2009 by Steve63
Easy target to blame the previous groundsman, if funds were available then autumn renovations should have been carried out. Whos in charge?
Don't talk to me about Contractors Wonka, I am one myself......
5 Apr 2009 by widdywoo
Don't sack the groundsman - he's making me look good! 
"I'm cheap, and nought but fashion; fling me away."
10 Apr 2009 by Martyn Snell
thats funny as one cricket club chairman ( witnessed by the heslamp chairman) said there wasnt funds fot 120 bags of loam and seed.I left there in november and what had been done in the last 6 months?
10 Apr 2009 by bill bob
Martyn,
Are you the former groundsman?
If so, can you tell us your side of this story?
11 Apr 2009 by Martyn Snell
yes ,
i left 1st november to take a position elsewhere as i received no support what so ever from scunthorpe town cc.(Heslam Park club) ,
numerous people were kept informed of my constant struggle for correct equipment finances etc.including the lincs pitch advisor and lincs board member Mr Wilkinson.
from july 12 i had to bring my own 18 inch rotary mower from home to cut the square upuntill the end ofseason as the Ransomes Mastiff was damaged and was beyond repair (15 years old it was),and was never replaced so no idea how they will cut the square but probably use the allet shaver wicket mower anyway.
i shall be facing stcc very very soon on a top wicket at hibaldstow and shall certainly be a lively occasion.
11 Apr 2009 by Collie
I don't believe what I'm seeing, but I hope that committee's all over see this, and realise what can happen when a groundsman is not supported or in this case, all advice completely ignored. You're better off out of there Martyn.
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