Cricket Grounds
Introduction
Autumn renovation A close inspection of the square is required some two weeks before the end of the season. If there is any sign of weeds they should be controlled by applying a selective herbicide over the square, omitting the pitches that are still scheduled for use. Any operator using pesticides must by law be adequately trained and may also need a Certificate of Competence issued by the National Proficiency Test Council. Once the season has finished, Autumn renovation must start as soon as conditions will allow. It is imperative to have the overseeding complete with germination before the cold nights set in. The first task is to mow the square with the height of cut of the mower adjusted as low as possible. Removing as much vegetation as possible will assist a satisfactory completion of all the following operations.
On completion of each scarification brush any debris that is not gathered in the collection box by replacing the thatch removal reel with the brush reel. Aeration is the next operation: Before aeration can be completed satisfactorily, it is necessary to investigate the soil profile. By taking out a small slit of the rootzone it is possible to identify any layering, pans or other problems. This investigation may determine the depth of tine required and therefore the type of equipment. Any layers that are evident should be broken to prevent root breaks occurring in the pitches (it may be necessary to consult a local cricket pitch advisor if problems are evident). When selecting the type of tine to use never use a slit tine on the square and only when incorporating a different top dressing use a hollow core tine. The best tine to use is a solid tine. Although it may be impossible at this time of year to get full penetration of tines, because the soil is so hard, the operation should still go on. Surface aeration will at least provide a good bed for grass seed and top-dressing. Where pans are evident it is necessary to use a tine that is at least deeper than the base of the pan.
Vertical penetration aeration equipment is the most suitable, ranging from the SISIS Dart to the SISIS Javelin. At this stage it is essential that the aeration programme has at least roughed up the surface for overseeding. It may be necessary to complete this operation in the autumn or early winter when there has been sufficient moisture to soften the rootzone. Overseeding should be the next operation. Extra holes can be placed in the surface by using the Rolaspike reel in your Auto-Rotorake. The choice of seed will depend to some extent on the standard of play on the square. Many top clubs will use a blend containing 100% perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne). Village clubs would be unlikely to cope with the excessive maintenance requirements of ryegrass. The alternative would be to use a mixture containing Browntop bent (Agrostis tenuis) and Chewings fescue (Festuca comutata), probably mixed with Perennial ryegrass. Again, the local pitch advisor should be able to guide the club in the right direction. The comparative cost of the seed against other materials used is minimal therefore it is not good policy to buy cheap seed. A good quality square cannot be obtained from a poor start. The overseeding should be done at a rate of approximately 18 grams per m2 (3/4 oz. per sq. yd.). It is necessary to have a competent person if the seeding is to be done by hand, alternatively a distributor like the SISIS Truspred or SISIS Auto-Seeder can be used. Tractor mounted seed distributors are available such as the SISIS Variseeder to speed up the operation. Any bare turf areas may be roughed up with the SISIS Ferret before extra seed is applied by hand to ensure a good cover for next season.
After applying the fertiliser the top dressing should go on. It is critical that the right top dressing is used. There is a full range of products on the market; all are suitable for a particular situation. Cricket loams vary from 20-40 % in the UK. Heavier loams are used in countries where the temperature is much higher than the UK. At club level the clay content should be between 24-30 % and 28-39 % at county level. The percentage of silt and sand is also important, the percentage of silt divided by the percentage of sand plus silt should not be more than 0.75% at all levels. The use of top dressing on a cricket square must follow two fundamental principles: 1. It must be compatible with the existing rootzone in terms of particle size. 2. The top dressing must be compatible with the existing rootzone in relation to swell / shrinkage characteristics. Before we move on with this section it may be useful to remind ourselves of past practices in cricket ground maintenance. The original squares were probably no more than a selected strip from a grazed field. Many attempts to dope the surface were developed to improve the playing surface. Up to fifty years ago the emphasis on pitch preparation was to produce a flat docile pitch, which showed a bias to the bowler. Two of the main constituents of a paste were cow dung and marl, which would form a firm crust on the surface, providing the weather remained dry. The organic content would have limited the binding quality of the clay and the pitches would be classed as slow. The formula was used right from the village cricket ground through to the top facilities. This treatment many years ago can create huge problems in some of the squares of today. The marl can now be seen as a red coloured layer some way down the soil profile. Layering may be caused by several reasons: 1. Poor incorporation of top dressing. 2. Aeration to the same depth every year. 3. Sudden change of top dressing. 4. Too heavy an application of top dressing. 5. Covering of a thatch layer, which would develop into an organic layer. When investigating the soil profiles of cricket squares many will have evidence of a marl layer. Marl should never be recommended for use on a cricket square today. Top dressing involves the application of sieved loam to the surface of the square to improve the surface and ameliorate the underlying soil. The top dressing should be a heavy clay loam with a binding quality of 55-65 kg (100-120 lbs / in2). The organic matter should be between 4-12% and the pH above 7. Proprietary materials are available on the market that includes Banbury, Boughton, Kaloam, Kettering, Medip, Ongar and Surrey. Top dressing must be dry and applied to a dry surface to enable satisfactory distribution to take place. Care should be taken not to apply too thick a dressing in one application to avoid smothering and killing the grass. Split applications can be applied at intervals to avoid any problems. Top dressing should always be applied to a well-aerated surface to ensure that the loam filters down the holes and prevents a layer developing on the surface.
Winter Work
If the full depth of aeration was not achieved in the renovation period it would be wise to consider the use of a tractor-mounted aerator such as the SISIS Javelin. This will assist in destroying what may have developed below the surface. When a soil profile indicates a hard pan below 150mm (6 inches) it may be necessary to use an aerator with a heaving action. Extra top dressing will be required to fill the holes and more rolling will be required in the spring to re-firm the square. Much better root growth can be anticipated when using such a machine, but it needs a very competent operator otherwise much damage can be created on a cricket square. Do not attempt to complete any deep aeration after the end of December; otherwise there will be insufficient time to key in any additional applications of top dressing. Early Spring Work During the winter months frosts heave the surface. The unevenness, which results from the heave, must be rectified. Use a light roller, maybe the cylinder mower, at the earliest opportunity in the Spring. Prior to rolling brushing should take place to remove debris or worm casts. Mowing in the initial stages must just tip the grasses. No attempt should be made to mow the grass in frosty conditions. After the first cut of the season the height of the square should be maintained between 18 - 25mm (3/4 - 1 inch). Prior to the commencement of the playing season, vary the direction of mowing to prevent the formation of a nap in the sward. The cricket square requires a firm even surface and rolling should commence as soon as suitable conditions prevail. The use of rollers over several weeks will slowly consolidate the square. Initially use a lighter roller to provide a true, even surface but prior to the start of the season a heavy roller of 1 - 1.1/2 tonne should be used. Roll the square in as many directions as possible to ensure no ridging takes place. It may be necessary to carry out a light scarification with the SISIS Auto-Rotorake fitted with the thatch control reel if there is any sign of organic matter in the surface after the winter months. The SISIS Rolaspike reel will gently prick the surface and prevent capping. The use of a deep spiker is not recommended at this time of the year for fear of the surface cracking during the playing season. The spiked surface will assist in the application of a balanced fertiliser dressing in the Spring. At this time of the year avoid high applications of Nitrogen. The regular use of a drag brush will help prevent the ingress of any fungal disease. Should any serious problem arise from disease, seek the advice of a pitch advisor. Spring Preparation At this stage the rolling should be in the direction of play, not in union jack fashion. With the surface of the square beginning to take shape it is now time to square off the square. The 3:4:5 method of triangulation is used to ensure that all the corners of the square are at right angles. Consideration should be given to the number of pitches on the square. Many clubs have too many pitches and not enough resources to maintain them. A few less pitches with the same resource should see an improvement in the quality of the playing surface. Ten pitches should be sufficient for the average club, 15 pitches at the most, except for county standard. The pitches are identified at 3.04m (10 feet) from corner to corner on the batting crease line. Use a permanent whitening powder so that the marks are available for the season. When the fixture list is available it is possible to establish a programme. Aim to keep equal use of pitches over the whole square so that wear is spread evenly. Matches should not follow on adjacent pitches but should be kept as far apart as possible. The two end pitches are usually kept for wet weather and practice. Pitch Preperation Work should start on the pitch at least five days before play. Water will be applied to a dry pitch by hand or sprinkler. When the water penetrates the surface rolling can commence. Use the heavy roller slowly for a period of about 30 minutes. If the grass turns black, the surface is too wet for rolling. It is better to get off and return later.
Mowing also will continue until little can be taken from the pitch. The pitch should be even from stump to stump; therefore the mowing should at least extend from stump to stump. Scarification should stop at the two popping creases to really clean out the middle of the pitch. By leaving the ends there is less risk of wear from the bowlers run-up. Covering the pitch may be necessary if the weather is wet or very hot. If the pitch dries out very quickly it may crack. Marking of the pitch should be done on the night before or the morning of the match. The lines should be no more than 25mm (1 inch) wide and as near to 13mm (½ inch) as possible. Whitening powder or white emulsion paint are both suitable. It will be necessary to moisten a very dry surface before the paint will stick. Marking is carried out with a purpose made frame or with strings. After marking, the stumps can be erected with the aid of a stump marker, a set of three points set at the correct distance apart. It may be necessary to fill the holes with water before pushing in the stumps to prevent them breaking off. During the match the pitch should be cleaned between the innings to provide both teams with an equal opportunity. The batting side may request rolling to take place. After Match Renovation Clear off all loose fibre from the pitch. Use a SISIS Rolaspike reel prior to watering the pitch. Any holes and divots will require re-levelling. Small holes should be pricked with a SISIS Ferret or a garden fork before working in a suitable loam and re-firming. Larger holes on the bowlers run-up should be cleaned out, forked and filled with water and left to soak in. A suitable loam is then placed in the hole and roughly levelled. It is best left to be levelled off properly. Any worn areas should be re-seeded. Any repairs in the playing season should be sown with the sports type Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), as they are quick to germinate and establish. The use of pre-germinated seed will speed up the establishment period. A light dressing of a balanced fertiliser and top dressing over the whole pitch will speed up the recovery process. Work On The Outfield The outfield should produce a fast and true surface for the ball to run without deviation. It should be firm to prevent damage from the cricket ball and provide a good foot hold for the fielder. A similar surface to the square would be ideal but in general that is impossible and compromises have to be made. Some outfields provide a dual role and will be used for hockey or other winter sports after the cricket season. In these circumstances there is a greater opportunity to club together and create better resources for the maintenance of the turf.
Drainage is another major problem on the outfield and the installation of a piped drainage system may be required. The outfield should ideally be made up of a good free draining loam with suitable grasses and be weed-free. Mowing is the main operation carried out
In the early Spring the use of chain harrows such as the SISIS Scarro will replace any divots after winter games and also true the surface before the cricket season. A light rolling prior to the commencement of the playing season will alleviate soil disturbance and firm the sward. A large mower with the cutting cylinder disengaged will prove adequate for the purpose and may also be used during the playing season to firm the outfield should the need arise. Fertiliser on the outfield is not as important as the square unless the same area is being used for winter sports. Other maintenance operations would include the control of weeds, pests and diseases as required. Take care that any application of pesticide is carried out under the guidance of current regulations. We have now completed the annual maintenance of the cricket ground. Every ground is somewhat different with its own peculiarities and problems. This information is of a general nature and should be treated as such. Grounds with a specific problem should seek expert advice from the local cricket pitch advisor. No responsibility is accepted by SISIS for the information contained in this article. SISIS machinery is designed, patented and manufactured in UK Copyright SISIS EQUIPMENT (Macclesfield) LTD. SISIS equipment is used at many of the world's top sporting venues, including St.Andrews, Turnberry, Wimbledon, Ascot, Guards Polo Club, Parc de Prince in Paris, King Fahd Stadium, Saudi Arabia, Pebble Beach in the USA. Some of the most popular machinery recommended by SISIS for cricket grounds: For the square: Powered Scarifier *Powered aerator
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