The future's bright... the future's cricket!
Total-play Ltd has been undertaking some exciting projects over the past few months for clients ranging from small league clubs to top cricketing schools
Following what has been a challenging year on all levels, many clubs are looking to the future with positivity. Cricket pitch specialist total-play Ltd has been undertaking some exciting projects over the past few months for clients ranging from small league clubs to top cricketing schools; leading the way with enhanced quality products and class-leading designs for non-turf cricket pitches (NTPs).
State of the art artificial facilities
With no less than six ECB-approved NTP designs in its range, total-play remains a leader in the marketplace. Standout projects completed during the 2020 season include a 4-lane non-turf practice facility at Oxfordshire side Banbury CC. Built to the flagship tp365 NTP design, the facility features 2 lanes at 40m and 2 lanes at 33m; a bespoke design aimed at maximising the use of the available area. At Loughborough Grammar School space was also at a premium, with the site allocated for the construction of a new practice facility close to the outfield boundary. total-play's solution saw the construction of four enclosed lanes and two open lanes which not only helped reduce the size of the new facility to allow for six lanes in the limited space, but enables pupils to enjoy less supervised use in the open lanes while the enclosed lanes are reserved for formal coaching
Getting covered for the 2021 season
As one might expect, demand for the firm's range of flat sheet ground covers was slower than in normal years - but now clubs who registered interest pre-season are starting to invest with an eye on being prepared for play in 2021 - including the numerous county grounds that use total-play's revolutionary Climate Cover System™. Among them are long-standing client Glamorgan CCC which has just placed a significant order for new covers for its Sophia Gardens ground in Cardiff.
End of season works - and beyond
total-play's pedigree as cricket pitch experts goes beyond NTPs - MD David Bates is a former first-class groundsman and, as such, the company offers clubs advice and carries out natural pitch works with its own range of laser-guided machinery. Autumn 2020 has been particularly busy with numerous clubs seeking help with their end of season works including scarification, blowing debris, seeding, top dressing and fertilizing. Several projects went beyond these typical works, with clubs engaging the team's services to implement more in-depth pitch works. At Kimpton CC, Profile Regeneration/Recycling was prescribed. Designed to bridge the gap between surface works and pitch construction, the process used the existing soil profile to create a new, laser graded profile. Some new loam was introduced and the project also saw total-play install a new 30m x 2.74m non-turf match pitch. At Rugby CC, meanwhile, Surface Restoration works - fundamentally going a stage beyond end of season works to correct commonly seen faults - were undertaken. The square was fraize mowed to help reduce saddles and unevenness and will be ready for action next spring. With a host of exciting new projects in the pipeline, total-play is helping numerous clients get ready for when cricket springs back to life in the 2021 season.
For more information, visit www.total-play.co.uk