Cricket World Groundsman of the Year Awards 2007

First Place - George Alexander, Tonbridge School

George has been based at the school for 15 years, with a staff of seven. Over the years he has continued to improve the standards of the surfaces and equipment. He has been instrumental in constructing a cricket square with 6 pitches, each with different loam contents, enabling him to monitor their performance. The presentation of the school grounds is exceptional and, in particular, the cricket outfields and squares.

Third Place - Ian Smith, St Albans School

The sports areas at the school are relatively new, and Ian has been involved in all stages of the development since its start in 2002.

First Place - Paul Tatton, Haydock Cricket Club

Paul has been with the club for seven years, since it first opened after redevelopment. Paul is very resourceful, bringing in funds and making good use of materials and machinery to bring the best out of the facility. He has a flair for adapting bits of equipment to improve working practices, one such example has been a simple marking frame made out of upvc window mouldings.

Second Place - Andrew Clarke, Shenley Cricket Club

Andrew works by himself at a facility that specialises in corporate cricket events; he manages and maintains two squares and outfields with very limited resources.

Third Place - Jon Lawrence, Plymouth Cricket Club

Jon and fellow Groundsman, Ken Wheaton, have worked wonders in renovating a former MOD cricket ground, bringing it back into use.

First Place - Karl Mcdermott, Clontarf CC, Nr Dublin (Ireland)

Over 16 years in the post, Karl lives and breathes cricket, he spends hundreds of hours tending the ground, which this year hosted three West Indies fixtures. The square provides 14 wickets with over 100 fixtures being played in any one season. His attention to detail and presentation skills are exceptional, there is not a blade of grass out of place.

Second Place - Ian Vauntier, Grainville Playing Fields (States of Jersey)

Even after working on the same site for 32 years, Ian still continues to look at ways of improving the quality, performance an presentation of the ground.

Third Place - Kenny Nisbet, The Grange CC, Edinburgh (Scotland).

The sole groundsman on the site, with other facilities to maintain as well, Kenny has to produce international standard pitches when required for Scotland games.

First Place - Simon Lawrence, Colchester and East Essex CC

Simon works for a private contractor (Elmy Landscapes) employed by the local council to look after its main cricket ground. The facility has one large square that provides 16 pitches, and accommodates over 70 senior and 20 colts fixtures in any one season. He generally works alone and the excellent presentation and performance of the facility is purely down to his ability and hard work.

Second Place - Gordon Gill, Westbury and District CC

A former player at the club, Gordon has been involved in maintaining the ground, on a voluntary and contractual basis, for more than a quarter of a century.

Third Place - Glyn Dobbs/Ivor Parry, Blaenau Gwent CBC

Council groundstaff for over 30 years, this dedicated duo are responsible for the preparation and repairs of the county standard cricket ground (plus a stadium rugby pitch, a natural grass bowling green, litter picking and a care-taking role when these facilities are hired out!).