Friday 28 June 2013

New Artificial Net Facility

Monday the 17th June saw one of our Local Councillors Lucinda Yeadon open our new 
Artificial Net Facility. 
This facility has been made possible due to a grant from 
Caird Barden Community Program 
all arranged through 
Elizaberth Payne, Grant Manager, Grant Scape.  
Our thanks go all concerned. 
 I would like to mention 
Lee Ingham our Club Community Officer for all his work on this project. 
This facility is already proving to be very popular with the many who have used and the reports I have had about the surface are all very encouraging. 
It is a new surface fit and provided by JMS Sports UK called Coolplus Cricket.

Monday is junior training night so there was a good number in attendance. 

 The preamble.

Cutting the tape.
Thank you Lucinda I hope you enjoyed your time with us.
Raining this morning  set to fair up this afternoon.
Hodgy

Tuesday 18 June 2013

Visit to Louth

Continuing from my earlier post.
Below are a few photos of my visit to Lough C C 
The Head Groundsman there is Martin Deans the ECB Pitch Adviser for Lincolnshire I was delivering some germination sheets for Martin to use over the sight screen when he stages 
England Ladies V Pakistan Ladies on the 1st July
In a one day game.

View from the car park

Martin was just cutting out a pitch for Louth CC to use it was then to become a practise pitch for the international.
Here you can see his Dennis Mowing Machine.


Looks like I have got some dirt on the lens.


Here is a view from the Club house balcony. What a place to watch Cricket from.
.
Interesting to see the oil seed rape in full flower in the middle of June.

The astro turf hockey pitch.



I couldn't resist a look in Martins tackle shed.

I will update again soon as I have some photos of the official opening of the new net carpet.
Sounds like the good weather is coming to an end so enjoy Wednesday and get you sheets an covers out changeable forecast for the weekend and may be some thunder.
Saves watering.
Hodgy



Good to be back

Lots of things going on.
Since I last posted I have staged -or prepared a few have been cancelled due to weather- on average six games a week. As a result the square has taken a battering. 
I have completed a few repair but that is difficult as I don't want muddy ends and watering is a challenge so recovery is slow. 
The two artificial pitches have been laid at the bottom of the ground -more on that later. 
We have had another break in at the club which is the second in two months not much taken but a whole lot of damage done.
I have had a visit to Louth Cricket Club in Lincolnshire.
As I type we are having a new kitchen fit at home (in fact this morning I am having to go looking for a fridge and flooring boo!) hence a few minutes for a quick update.
Well now for a few photos.

Starting to prepare a couple of pitches at Pool Cricket Club. I prepare what they ask me to and here you can see I am working on pitches next to each other and next to one which is still in use. Now they have their reasons for this however it is best to avoid if at all possible as it creates problems repair wise.
(As it is difficult to repair a pitch next to one which is in play)

Another view at Pool a little further on with the preparation.


A couple of photos of the net area at Kirkstall you can see the new carpet on the right and if you look carefully all the cracks in the grass pitch, overall June has been a dry month at Kirkstall.

Better view of the cracks the edges are firm so I was not worried about them.

One day last week I delivered some germination sheet to Louth Cricket Club in Lincolnshire. 
The ground and facilities are owned and administered by the local council.
The development is only a few years old and is somewhere in the region of a £3 million.
There is Cricket, Football and Hockey -on a large astro turf pitch- a very impressive set up.
I will continue with this update later as I now have been given the call its time to go shopping.

Quick tip- in this dry weather don't forget to check the air filters on your machinery
Back soon 
Hodgy