Message Board - Cricket: end repairs-bowlers bloody mess!
2 Apr 2009 by britboy
can anyone tell me how they repair footholds after a sat game to make the areas stand up to being played on for next day game(sunday aft).I get lots of problems with deep bowlers marks on crease and landing foot areas and would like to hear about your repair concoctions please
britboy
3 Apr 2009 by wicketdevil
I use damp but not wet cricket loam first brush out the hole this works for holes deeper than 2inches. water the hole until wet then smear the inside of the hole. Fill with loam until its proud then brush over with the dust and tread in then use and tamper until its level and hard this should be done straight after the game. If the holes less deep brush the dust to the side water the damage about 3 inches wider than the damage when its soaked in use a small border or ladies garden fork gently raise the damage from all sides. Then with a sharp object i use a peg make several holes in the lifted soil then fill with dry loam its a bit of guess work to make sure you put enough in . Then fill those holes spread dust back over and tread down this works well. WD
Can you just is the longest sentence in the world !!!!!!!
3 Apr 2009 by Andy Matthews
ebony use the search feature at the top of the page and you will find threads detailing exactly how to cut out and repair the footholes, I think it was on here about a year ago.
3 Apr 2009 by jlawrence
see this article
Of course there's no bounce, bend your back and put some bloody effort in.
4 Apr 2009 by widdywoo Last edited 4 Apr 2009
Have a look at this too, ebony:
http://www.pitchcare.com/message/message/15092
Hope this helps.
"I'm cheap, and nought but fashion; fling me away."
4 Apr 2009 by Charles Johnson
This is one of the most difficult techniques to acquire for a groundsman, and quite stressful given the opportunity to get it wrong which I still do sometimes even after 8 years of experience at it. Getting the right moisture in the filler material, preparing the hole, getting the repair into the hole, making it level and "bound" while drying it to the right extent overnight ... skills you have to adapt to the weather and ground conditions.
I reckon it should be one of the things demonstrated on IOG/ECB courses and everyone should have a go.
4 Apr 2009 by Grassman2011
Charles,
As far as i know it is demonstrated on the s/s foundation course. I agree everyone should have a go but how many days do you want to be there ?
I have always found that it is best carried out immediately before play or between innings.
Brush rubbish from hole, slightly dampen hole, filler material should just bind when squeezed in your hand, a good clay content loam is required, mendip etc is no good, fill hole as high above ground as hole is below, firm gently with size 10, place plastic, empty loam bag on top and bang down hard with thumper untill flat. Brush loose dust over repair, nobody knows it is there.
It will take a little practice, but hey, so do most things but we dont give up do we !!
4 Apr 2009 by pacman75cricket
Charles
When did my level 1 spring summer course a couple of years ago & this was demonstrated.
Altough we didn't do the practical individually we all felt the moisture content of the loam. & were then shown how to do the in fill.
5 Apr 2009 by widdywoo
Bath - if you have a square composed of mendip loam which loam would you use to mend the bowlers' footmarks?
Would you need to remove it after the game because of long term incompatibility?
I have squares of Mendip loam and have been having trouble getting the repairs to hold up, but was reluctant to use anything else due to incompatibility issues.
"I'm cheap, and nought but fashion; fling me away."
5 Apr 2009 by Chris Thornton
Dave,
The previous place I was at was all "Mendip" and it was not easy to repair in this way so on one occasion I tried a bit a ceeement and it worked, to a point but I only tried it the once.
I am told,on good authority, that a groundsman nearby uses "Surrey" on his pitches but puts "Mendip" on the ends as it is easier to get germination in "Mendip" I know he gets different loams as his stuff was on the wagon which delivered my stuff. I thought he was mixing it but his assistant told me "No he uses the "Mendip" for his wicket ends"
Anyone else do this???
Chris
"He not busy being born is busy dying"
5 Apr 2009 by Grassman2011
Digger,
I would use any of the clay loams with a clay content around 30+, but i have alweays liked the K loam.
Whichever you use stick withy it, do not chop and change.
When repairing ends after wicket has been spent, fork deep holes into the area to be repaired making sure that loam is introduced deep into the profile.
With in a couple of years you will find that your ends go a lot harder and that the amount of wear will probably diminish with it. That is untill a bowler steps onto another area altogether. I would also use the loam on the ends during the renovations. In fact, if i was on mendip at all i would change the lot.
Germination is easily achieved in any loam, providing the seed is planted, not just scattered on the top, and that the area is not allowed to totally dry out before the seed has germinated and that the new plant is looked after.
5 Apr 2009 by Chris Thornton
You're dead right Bath. That's what I have found now I'm on a Kaloam square, it wears very well.
Now another question re these types of repair ;-
If the footmarks are not so deep, say 1 inch,or less. Would it be prudent to chisel them out to make them deeper before commencing with the repair?
Chris
"He not busy being born is busy dying"
5 Apr 2009 by Grassman2011
If the wicket has been played out, fork the holes, nice and deep. Then apply the loam of your choice. If the wicket still has to play a game or two then repair as you always would, it just might not last very long.
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