14 Jan 2010 by Bobo
Hi,
I am involved in a cricket club in Dublin, Ireland and some members of our playing staff are keen to lay concrete under our practice pitches.
They are looking to improve bounce, carry and pace.
Has anyone got any comments on this being done in a European climate?
The pitches are currently slow and low, like our square; the surfaces are good quality but I suppose lacking in some maintenance.
All help will be appreciated.
B
What are you intending to cover the concrete with? Not a lover of concrete practice strips myself.
What is under the practice strips currently, are they just grass? If so, personally I would look at trying to improve the quality of the grass surface.
If you do go down the concrete route, make sure you get a really good surface laid and look into buying some decent quality carpet surface to put over the top of it.
Best option is getting decent artificial surfaces professionally done but they are expensive but a great investment if you cann get the money together.
What do I do? I just cut the grass.
14 Jan 2010 by Bobo
Sorry, should have clarified.
We currently have carpets (laid by Colin Dines) over a layer of sand with earth underneath. These have been in place for c8 years, last year we lifted one, levelled the sand and relaid it.
This did not have a discernable effect, but I am first to acknowledge that this is probably a fault of our own making.
The 'proposal' is to lay concrete and then replace the carpets over them.
14 Jan 2010 by Aintgottaclue!!
concrete practice facilities in my opinion are too bouncy and very unlike pitches in the UK. Try and get some of the aggregate that is commonly used under 95% of practice pitches.
I may cut grass, but i'm not green !!
I see Bobo, no wonder is low then mate.
Porbably will be too bouncy as Aintgotta says. That has been my experience.
Problem is, just putting aggregate under wont be enough. You need to have it dug out a bit and different levels and grades of aggregate put in and a subsrata plastic type sheeting in there as well. But then that is beginning to get like trying to do what the artificial surfaces are done like professionally.
My club had carpet over concrete and they were not too special, thats why we went for the proper artificial option.
The last thing you want is nets that are dangerous, no one will want to use them and someone could get hurt, especially if you have colts.
Check out something like the Notts artificial wickets, thhey have a spec I think and you can see what is used or there is probably some guidelines on the ECB site
What do I do? I just cut the grass.
14 Jan 2010 by Bobo
Thanks Barry, will do.
14 Jan 2010 by Mal
also have a look at SAPCA. If you havn't got a login then create one and it will give you access to all sorts of construction and maintenance specifications.
Geography is everywhere
Bobo, the reason the wickets are slow, low or 'dead' is that the sand layer, and the soil beneath, are absorbing the ball energy rather than allowing a bounce, the sand will provide a good level surface but has no structure as such, what you will be better looking at is what is known as a Dynamic Base rather than Concrete which can be used but will most likley need a thicker Shockpad laid beneath the Wicket carpet to produce a more realistic bounce.
BUT be warned there is no pleasing cricketers, we recently refurbished a set of Cages for a private school, relaid dynamic bases, new shockpads, cleaned and reused carpets to most, couple of new, and half the 'expert' sports masters said they were too lively, half said to low, we took that as about right then......
Dynamic bases of whichever version are generalised as a compacted layer of base stone, such as Type 1 or smaller, between 50mm and 100mm deep sometimes laid over a geotextile, sometimes enclosed, sometimes surrounded in a timber board edge, covered with 50mm of a 6mm to dust or smaller hardstone surface such as Redgra to form a surface, screeded level and compacted. Some lay a 6, 8 or 10mm shockpad layer over this before laying varying quality (and price) carpets over top.
Some 'individual' systems are ECB approved and of the listed Approved System suppliers (see ECB site if you wish) only 2 companies are fully official ECB Approved Installers working to the full Code of Practice that this entails although the rest are all working to the generalised conditions along with many others, like ourselves, who install the same or equivalent products, in the same or equivalent way, with the same or similar base materials to produce the same and definately equivalent end product.
You will definately get what you pay for in terms of the carpet quality, the base will depend on who you speak to, with the installer speak to previous customers and get feedback and references.
Good luck
Barry
Plastic.... it's The End I tell you... THE END!!!!
Everybody at the moment is craving for good pace and bounce. unfortunately many players do not have the technique to handle good bounce. Many batsmen prefer pitches for the front foot bully. No offence, but as for teachers and to much bounce. A first class umpire once told me, how can you have to much bounce !!
14 Jan 2010 by jackbit Last edited 14 Jan 2010
Spot on bath, you cant win in this game the bowlers want pace and bounce, then the batsmen complain about being hit on the fingers and body. I remember years ago Peter Lever and Bert Flack having the same argument Peter wanting more bounce and Bert saying he would have the batsmen complaining about getting hit.
14 Jan 2010 by vid
At the end of the day what is the point of having loads of bounce in the practise facility and half as much out on the pitch - this is the point. These dynamic surfaces are trying to closer emulate what can be found out on the square. No square no matter how well rolled will be as hard or harder than concrete so why use it.
Its only clear use is where there is no alternative or vandalism is a clear problem.
Of course you can have too much bounce - he must have been a right pillock Bath! (hope hes not a friend in which case I'm sure he was absolutely right!)
14 Jan 2010 by Charles Johnson
Concrete pitches are too hard to represent anything like real conditions, unless you play on bone dry high clay/bulli blocks. Even a slow bowler will generate abnormal bounce.
Our new nets are based with tarmac which are much more realistic. We chose them in preference to the compacted-gravel base because it is meant to stay level and uniform without a need for regrading - the oldest 2 nets have been used intensively for four seasons, and are still fine.
Our old concrete net was unrealistic and dangerous. Also, because the concrete was so hard, the mat and shock pads wore out every 2-3 seasons.
We had a 2 bay net area and our old artificial relaid 3 seasons ago by executive leisure. The mating is laid on tarmac. Both nets and artificial are superbe, with the bounce being true and the pace also good. As far as bounce we found that concrete was to bouncy, and as our nets and artificial are used mainly for youth the tarmac pitches are perfect for them to play off the front and back foot. Which means they can play the shots on grass instead of always looking for the ball up near there throat which we found with concrete strips. I can only speck for our concrete strips.
We may have to agree to disagree on this one vid. I don't think you can have to much bounce. True bounce however great is good. It will depend totally on the height from where the ball is delivered to the spot that it pitches on the pitch as to where it bounces. Now tennis ball bounce is something else again, but i am sure players will come against that on occasions during games as well.
I know very little about concrete bases, but if the bounce is uncontrollable surely the shock pad and mat surface need to be looked at. I believe that in New Zealand many artificial practice wickets have a concrete base.
Many squares have very little bounce in them, that is not an excuse to provide practice wickets the same. Spend time and money on the square if that is the case and provide practice wickets of quality once the square has been corrected.
I like your suggestion Charles, but i have never seen any to compare. On a lighter note, tarmac may get expensive after the thaw. Much will be needed to repair the roads.
By the way, the umpire concerned was Pasty Harris. He made the comment to me approx four years ago. Now only you will know Vid if he is/was a friend.
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