How to Manage a Cricket Pitch Between Games

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How to Manage a Cricket Pitch Between Games, looks at what should be done with a pitch after use, and how it can be preserved, l look into possible re-watering options. I also look into a few techniques for holding back the surface from evaporation.

Why do we need to try and hold back a cricket pitch between games/matches?

Trying to hold back a cricket pitch after its first weekend match is not always required, especially in the earlier part of the season when by week two/three pitches are often at their peak. In comparison to week one, pitches often can be a struggle to dry out fully to depth.

As the season progresses and evaporation increases by increased temperatures, watering of the profile to depth is more of a challenge for many grassroots groundsperson’s. This is often due to very low water pressure or time to water, so managing moisture up to the first game or and preserving the pitch between games/weekends is often part of a ground’s person role.

Starting point post-match?

Post-game, brush up the pitch by hand and also clean up the surface with an old rotary mower, set at its lowest setting. You can also use a more preferred brush cassette unit to collect debris up after matches if you have one.

The next thing to consider is when is your next match on this pitch? is rain forecast? did the pitch perform well or is there further drying required. What does the team want for next week? was it too dry if so is more irrigation/watering is required?

Once you have all the above information you can then decide how to manage it via one of the options below.

Options?

·         Leave it open, it still needs more drying and the temperatures this week are going to be low.

·         Leave more grass on pitches and increase the hoc to 7-10 mm, to help shade the surface. This could be done at the start of the preparation period also.

·         The use of roll-on covers or sheets, coconut matting to shade the pitch from over drying during the hottest parts of the day

·         Rewatering of the pitch, after the first weekend/match and rolling back out in time for the next match.

·         Add more water or allow rain, then just roll back out.

·         Use a pitch for say two weeks, rather than three weeks if pitches aren’t what you want week three, repair and re-use at a later date.

What are we trying to achieve by managing soil moisture

If we manage moisture levels and not push pitches too far, the grass will still be relatively healthy at the end of use. Having some water, the pitch will ensure it will come back well, for later re-use.

We can provide a safe surface that suits the form of cricket we are preparing for.

By managing soil moisture levels, the soil won’t dry out to the point where the ball is negatively impacting the soil surface, with bounce becoming dangerous. Suitable moisture present at the start of preparation and managing moisture by re-watering, shading and managing usage are all vital in keeping a pitch safe and the grass alive.

Tips?

If you’re going to re-water after the first game and then re-roll and then dry the pitch back out before the next game, more than likely your need to roll less than in the initial preparation period. Consolidation on the whole would have already been achieved, rolling the second time is to just aid drying and gently reaffirm after watering. Too much rolling, could easily flatten out the pitch too much, unless that is your aim.

there is no point re watering heavily if the forecast is going to become unsettled later in the week, if you have limited resources to keep the pitch dry, in that case shading it early week may be a better option.

Grass cover/health and length of the grass leaf can all help preserve the life of a pitch, too much grass you could have hidden moisture within the soil profile which could result in seam movement. On the other hand, if the grass cover is too thin, with a lot of soil exposed and a short leaf, the pitch will dry out quicker. As a result, it will not last for as long and it could be a challenge to manage moisture, unless good water pressure and shading can be achieved.

My Experience

My experience may not be of help, as l have good resources at my disposal in terms of being able to water to depth during initial pitch preparation and l also have the ability to shade pitch with the use of coconut matting between games. We tend to prepare a pitch and get a maximum of two weeks from it; pitches are often prepared fresh for our better teams and then other users will then use the pitch for a further week or two. If a higher standard of cricket appears in that time, we would prepare another pitch just for this purpose and then use it for a week or two as required.

We re-water very little in the early season but at the height of the summer in July/August if we can fit in a re-water which can be the challenge. Then we can and then gently roll back out and use a coconut matting to shade where required.

You have the answers

The only person who can tell you what to do is you, it’s your gut experience with your grass cover, your loam, your weather, your resources that all dictate best how to manage your pitches between games.

How do you manage your pitches, shading, grass cover, short preparation periods, let us know in the comment box below.

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