Message Board - Cricket: Foot mark repairs in wet conditions
27 Jun 2009 by Steve_D
Hi all, just wondered how any of you guys repair foot marks when conditions are very damp (so no drying time) and likely damp conditions during game?
I've just carried out a repair the day before game but even though track was under covers the repair hadn't fully dried by start of game, the game went ahead with drizzly rain on and off throughout and the repair ended up like a mud bath!
Any suggestions appreciated
28 Jun 2009 by trubs
If conditions are very damp and staying damp, I don't think I'd attempt any repairs at all. I would hope they would have the sense not to play, as there would inevitably be damage to the rest of the Square.
28 Jun 2009 by Andy Matthews
The reapirs when damp are as far as I am concerned, just the same as when it's dry, if the repair doesn't completely dry out and the pitch is damp or wet, then it will be the same as the rest of the surface and therefor shouldn't cause a problem, it sounds like the repair may have been too wet when you put it in, even if you have no covers then sawdust should negate the fact that it's repair. The main thing is that the bowlers landing area is safe for play and even a damp repair is better than a hole.
28 Jun 2009 by Grassman2011
But, is a damp/wet hole a danger ? A hard dry hole is/can be.
Perhaps the hole only needs chamfering from the edges so that it becomes a shallow area with no hard edges.
It can then be repaired properly when the weather and ground conditions are more favourable.
29 Jun 2009 by jlawrence
If things are so wet that the repair doesn't take then (imo) the ground is too wet for play anyway.
I do repairs as per normal and as of yet haven't had a problem. Yes, it can turn to mush but that only tends to happen if the teams are too lazy to get the sawdust out.
Of course there's no bounce, bend your back and put some bloody effort in.
29 Jun 2009 by widdywoo Last edited 29 Jun 2009
trubs - hahaha - cricketers having the sense not to play in damp conditions in case the square gets damaged?!!!!!
That's priceless! Cricketers having commonsense! Hahahaha! 
"I'm cheap, and nought but fashion; fling me away."
29 Jun 2009 by Chris Thornton
Likewise HA HA HA !!
They had webbed feet at the last place I was at!!
"He not busy being born is busy dying"
29 Jun 2009 by jlawrence
I know it's an unusual point of view, but I've not yet seen any damage (from playing) on a damp/wet track which I can't fix. Tracks are produced for playing on not looking at - not that it stops me moaning at them though.
Of course there's no bounce, bend your back and put some bloody effort in.
29 Jun 2009 by widdywoo
Yeah - I wasn't being entirely serious. I like to get the game on if at all possible - they ARE cricket pitches rather than ornamental lawns.
"I'm cheap, and nought but fashion; fling me away."
29 Jun 2009 by jlawrence
I know groundsmen who treat their squares otherwise though.
I know exactly what you mean digger, though I do think nowadays it's going too far the other way. I can remember finishing a game (quite a long while ago) whilst it was actually snowing, nowadays even a few spots of rain has the batsmen (and umpires) running to the clubhouse.
Of course there's no bounce, bend your back and put some bloody effort in.
30 Jun 2009 by Neil Dixon
In todays climate of " blame culture" , and with the umpires being responsible for the safety of the players it was always going to happen. Umpires will not want to be sued if someone was hurt because they didnt stop play in inclement weather.
30 Jun 2009 by jontaylor
Has any umpire in the UK yet been successfully sued because they didn't stop play in wet conditions? Or is this another myth?
In H&S law we ALL have responsibility, not just the bosses (aka umpires in this case). Don't the captains have responsibility? Doesn't the 90mph bowler hurling the ball at the head of a much less able batsman have a responsibility for his own actions?
We played a cup game recently where our illustrious opponents from a well known seaside resort in North Lincs fielded half of their Yorkshire league side against our Lincs League Div 3 players (5 divisions gap). After they scored well over 250 their opening bowler spent his 10 overs trying to knock the heads off our batsmen. Their captain did nothing to control the bowler and neither did the umpires.
We do have a growing blame culture, but we also need to take responsibility for our own actions and in amateur sport we players, as well as officials, have a choice. Even their supporters were embarrased by the bowler's approach. We were all out for 80 (runs, not bruises).
The ciderman rolls
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