Low in Spirit

Here we are half way through the season and I feel its not got going yet. Last Saturday I managed to get everything at least looking good by dodging heavy showers and sheeting my pitch from Tuesday till Saturday only to have torrential rain during the match which after being on and off eventually stopped play for the day.

Photos taken on Friday during preparation for the first team game on Saturday and the junior game on Friday night. The pitch isn't that white its the sheet, although the sun is out there were big black clouds on the way and as I mostly work on my own I didn't want to get caught out at this late stage as I had kept the pitch dry sheeting since Tuesday. I also stayed at the ground till 9-00pm after the juniors had finished to make sure the sheet was on properly.

At around 4-00pm Friday before the juniors arrived  I had a break and walked round the ground taking the above photos.

[I still have the dirt on the camera lens or mirror and cant get ride of it despite taking the the lens off and giving it a good clean]

I cut the outfield in checkers which of course means double cutting cause you have to go at right angles using the Mastiff and when the sun was out the presentation looked worth the effort.

Saturday Morning and I got to work at about 7-30 taking the sheet off, giving the pitch its final cut, roll and marking out. I then mowed part of the outfield again concentrating on the parts that the juniors had scuffed up the night before -just to give it that un-played on look, I also cut the square again. 

Things where looking fine the match started, I always watch for ball bounce deviation etc and was disappointed that the bounce was lower that normal and indeed what I expected. I then of course try to work out what went wrong, well as I had had the pitch covered since Tuesday only taking it off for maybe 14 to 16 hours during that time there was still moisture in it and it felt cold to the touch, cricket pitches need sun on them and this one had defiantly been short of that for the whole week.

The whole summer so far has been very disappointing and is not set to improve in a hurry.

Hodgy

PS This has been a very quick post as I am very busy building "Magic Sponges" water removal machines that I designed and market sorry for any errors I have not read it through.