Mickey Stewart wins ECB's Achievement Award sponsored by Ransomes Jacobsen

Micky Stewart, Head Groundsman at Yorkshire County Cricket Club's ground at North Marine Road in Scarborough, is the 2007 winner of the ECB's Achievements in Cricket Groundsmanship award sponsored by Ransomes Jacobsen.

The engraved crystal award was presented by Rupert Price, Ransomes Jacobsen's Sales Manager for the UK and Ireland, during the ECB's annual award presentation lunch held recently at the Gateway Centre at Derbyshire County Cricket Club.

Micky Stewart comes from a farming background and played in the Yorkshire league for Hull and York, where he initially took an interest in pitch preparation and maintenance. He was mentored by George Cawthray, the former Head Groundsman at Headingley before taking the position of Head Groundsman at Hull, then a Yorkshire CCC outground. This was followed by a five-year spell at Bridlington before he returned to Hull. In September 2001, on the recommendation of Tom Flintoff, he began work at Scarborough where he has taken the playing surfaces to a highly commended level on a restricted budget.

The lunch was co-hosted by the ECB's Pitches Consultant Chris Wood and Head of Operations Alan Fordham with Tom Sears, Chief Executive of Derbyshire CCC presenting the awards and commendation certificates.

Micky also won the Groundsman of the Year award in the Outgrounds category for the second year running. After being voted runner up in the 2005 awards he scooped the winning award for 2006 and 2007. There are around 30 outgrounds in the country and the award is based on the Umpires marks and gradings for the 1st class cricket matches on the grounds.

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