Message Board - Cricket: Glue

We've had a difficult year with the pitches due to massive amounts of rain in our area. The pitches have generally been good batting decks in the past, and even the first few were good this year. Since then we've had torrents of rain and even though I know the problems I've had are mainly due to this, I've lost a bit of confidence in what I am doing and am woried that there are more deep-rooted problems.

With 1 league game left I need to get it right. As an insurance, I'm preparing a track used at the start of the year, as well as a new track so far not used. I will decide Saturday morning which one we use although in an ideal world I would prefer to use the used track as the boundaries are bigger and it is generally at the better end of the square.

We look as if we may have a dry week for the first time since june and I am considering using glue on the old track as a precaution against the surface breaking up. I've looked at all the articles regarding the use of glue and it seems the best time to apply is the evening before a match when all the work is done. As i've never used it before I'm a bit worried in case it is a disaster. My question is whether i can apply this evening, then continue with normal preparation ie final cut and roll later in the week? This way I would have time to try remedy any problems I encounter. Also has anyone rolled after glueing when it is still damp? It may be a stupid question but I know of a groundsman who used to do this immediately after glueing the ends.

Thanks.

Glueing should be pretty much the last thing you do on a wicket once it is 'ready', though a cut and a roll on the morning of the match won't hurt as the grass will still grow and the rolling will help take any colour out of the grass etc. The thing is, once you glue a wicket it will not really dry out anymore afterwards.

Don't be scared of glue as once it goes off it is completely see through so even if you make a mistake and put too much on one bit it won't show and won't make much difference to the ball bounce etc.

I wouldn't roll a wicket or do anything else until the glue has gone off - why would you? It would just get a bit messy.

Sean,

Here in Middlesex, we have also had a bad summer weatherwise. Looking at the league results (especially the Premier League) the aggregate number of runs for each game is way down on previous seasons. I haven't done a detailed analysis but I would guess we are talking about close to 100 runs per match.

So don't lose faith in your own ability. It has been hard for lots of peole this year.

Having previously used PVA, I totally concur with Andy MacKay's comments. Glue is a great tool at the right time and for the proper reasons.

You should be in a position on a Thursday to identify which pitch will suit your purpose. If you hesitate, you'll get caught in two minds.

Best analogy I can up with is - I used to hunt with shotguns being on the lookout for ducks, wood pigeon etc. If a flock flew up and you didn't pick out a single bird in your sights, chances are you wouldn't get a kill.

Make your mind up which one it's going to be and back yourself!!

Good hunting.......sorry, luck!

Tony, you may not have done an analysis, yet we can be sure "others" will have.
As for the glue, go with your gut Sean, you are the expert.

Good comments from above posts but another thought from a slightly lower level amateur competition:

If you have the time it's a good idea to have two decks ready. I do this for a different reason. On really wet weeks when it is also a 'must play at all costs' I have a mown and lightly rolled deck on the end of the square painted up and ready just in case. When all of the square is wet and the heavily rolled first choice deck can be mopped to allow play but is unusable as a track itself, I direct everyone to the end and offer the always ready emergency alternative. It has given an aggregate of 220-16 over the last decade when deployed, always drains well, and has bailed us out on many occasions, allowing us to steal a march on rivals who give up because the match day pitch is impervious.

Thanks for the all help and advice. Spent a few hours at the ground last night and have decided to go for the used pitch. Very hard and although there are cracks, they seem fairly secure, certainly no moving plates. Feeling a lot better about things. I'll pop up there tonight (after today's sun??) and make a decision on the glue.

I have not done this before so what pva do you guys use?

Never used glue myself but would prefer not to. Can't see how putting glue on grass is a good idea. I know it's used in the pro game though.
From the glued tracks I've seen on the tele, they end up as flat low roads with no spin.

In my experience, I have found no difference in the expected performance of the pitch other than it holds together better.

I use one of types sold by B & Q. The most important aspect is to ensure that it isn't the waterproof variety.

Fair enough Ken. Just seem not right somehow to me.

Gluing is usually only done if the groundsman has some concern over the surface, hence why you tend to see it on lower, slower wickets.

As Andy has said, you would typically use glue on a worn pitch which by its very nature will be getting a tad tired and therefore the expectations would be that it might demonstrate less bounce, pace and carry.

I have seen it turn a net surface around though. That said, the square in question is a funny old thing....

This might be a stupid question but once it is on how do you get it off?
I might have a expeperment with our redundent net lane next week.

daniel, water water and more water - hence why most articles on the matter say not to use waterproof glue.

I was just about to glue one of my tracks back in July. Fortunately something came up and I didn't get chance to - I say fortunately because it hosed it down on the Friday night and they ended up on a damp track. Once glued it's got to be kept dry.

I thought it would be tbh but thought I would double check.

Thank you for all the advice chaps. I went ahead with it. 10 litres pva mixed with 25 litres of warm water.First impressions:

1. Definately more skiddy, batsmen from both sides loved it coming on. Especially pakistani batsmen who play their shots.
2. Doesn't really affect bounce.
3. Only a little spin, but any deviation was quick. Good for a 'good' spinner.
4. when the sun shines it looks great, like an old school west indian wicket. when cloudy it looks miserable.
5. Cost £8.79 per 5 litre. £17.58 per pitch so not economical.
6.Great for 50 over one day games IMO (on the assumption that applying it doesn't kill it next year). For club declaration games i could see too many draws.

Sean,

Glad it mostly went well.

I tend to use half of what you have put on i.e. 5 litres in 12 of water sprayed through a 3-nozzle boom sprayer. Doesn't tend to look different to the untrained eye.

The use of Surface Stabilisation Agents is banned in the multiple day game as, potentially, it doesn't allow for the natural deterioration of the pitch surface.

From memory I believe Andy MacKay uses a dose rate more akin to what you have applied.
I'm sure he'll respond with his findings.

I've messed around with the rates a bit and haven't noticed much difference between 10L in 40L, 10L in 15L, 5L in 20L and 5L in 15L. I've only glued once in the last two years and I used 5L glue in 20L of water.
I did notice that the higher rates of glue are a bugger to remove though!