Talking Turf - Evolution of quality at Hailsham Cricket Club

Head Groundsman Lewis Williams, talked us through changes over the past two years which have made a huge difference.

Changes over the past two years have really paid off

You have been here as both a player and volunteer for quite some time, what has changed the most over those years?

When I first joined as a player about sixteen years ago, we barely had two teams. Most weeks we were dragging people out of the pub to try and make teams up. We made a big push to get junior cricket started and now have around 130 girls and boys playing across seven junior teams at the club. This has been made possible due to the changes made to the surface and grounds management. Without these changes, we wouldn't be where we are now. A really rewarding thing for me is the feedback. Recently, a young lad scored his first century; he came over and thanked me because of the surface quality.

What work has gone in to evolve the club?

Despite being a volunteer, I have a sports turf background and I have a lot of my own kit to undertake autumn renovations. We recently completed some Koroing - which is something completely new to me and it has helped the development of the surface. In addition, we have also verti-drained and improved the feeding programme. It has taken two years to get to where we are now, but there is always room for improvement. The time and expense invested in the last two years is considerable, but it definitely shows in the quality of facilities we have developed.

Before

Have you received any additional help?

Tommy Walder has been managing the grounds for over twenty years and he has done all the real hard work. The committee have really stepped up as well and show a lot of interest in the maintenance and work on the surfaces. One thing to note is that we wouldn't be here without the work of Robert Wilkinson. Back in 2010, he pushed for the club to keep going and, without his influence, it would have probably folded.

What did you learn from the experience?

I think the main thing I have learnt is to not always go with what's in the textbook. Sometimes you have to go with what's in front of you. The weather has certainly changed things in terms of schedule. For instance, we haven't been able to roll the wickets yet because of the wet ground.

Have you got any plans for the future in terms of projects and improvements?

The focus for me now is to try and bring new people into the industry. I have a couple of young lads who are keen and I want to help them develop. That is a part of the industry which needs focus.