Pre Match Saturday Morning

 On my arrival Saturday morning -around 8-15 am- pigeons and standing water on the square.

 Out with the Magic Sponge to mop up the water.

 I cant manage the sheets off with water on them so I have to roll them back till help arrives.

I managed, by double sheeting to keep the pitch totally dry.

Pre-match  warm up, training call it what you like, it lasts for about an hour.

Crazy game this was we lost the toss and batted, scoring 109 all out -after being 66 without loss. Beckwithshaw then batted and we bowled them out for 104.  I have never seen anything like it,

especially on a pitch like this below.

Sunday the seconds used the same pitch and I went off to Otley to watch the firsts we chased down 235 in 45 overs for 4 a good result through to the next round no pictures.

Hodgy

Time Flies

I cant believe it was Tuesday when I last updated how time flies Wednesday I went off to Calverley Cricket Club in Victoria Part to cut their outfield as they are having problems with the mower. I went on Wednesday as the forecast was not good for Thursday or Friday so I took advantage of the best day of the week so far.

A few general views of the ground on my arrival at Calverley C. C. -a lovely day no rain and sun shine looks like summer.

Gangs fit to tractor ready for off.

 Job done ready for off to Rawdon to cut their outfield  next. The van in the background is a Parksforce one -Leeds City Council- I find it strange that I am cutting the outfield when Parksforce have more than enough tractors and gangs -I am not complaining just commenting.

Calverleys new'ish score-box -built in the same style as the clubhouse- looks the part. Calverley was looking well for a parks pitch. When I arrived there was a man and a child playing on the square and a lady walked straight across it, I would be very frustrated if it was my ground but to there credit they cope and get on with it. As I am writing these few words I cant help but thinking how good Roundhay Park Oval could be if it were looked after and maintained well as a proper Cricket facility. 

 

Roundhay Park Oval  (Photo : Chemical Engineer)

Rawdon Cricket Club on my arrival.

By the time I got back to Kirkstall the sun had gone for the day.

The practise pitch after training on a damp Tuesday night, just about the only thing I ask the players to do is to sweep after use but they didn't this week I don't know why I will be having a word.

 A crow searching for leather jackets -crane fly larvae- they peck diamond shape holes and leave a mess.

Thursday was grey and damp most of the time I went down to the ground in the morning and went off home at lunch time for a couple of hours  as it started to rain.

Thursday was also the day of our first T20 game against local side Adel, as the day was wet and I had no idea how it would end. I rolled and marked out a wet weather pitch at the edge of the square -it was very very green- in fact the players didn't believe me when I told them which pitch they were on.

 There we go I told you it was green.

There are no more photos as I was busy doing the BBQ and drinking the odd pint of beer. We fielded first  Adel scored I think around 140 and we got them with the last pair at the wicket. not bad for a "Green Un"

Today Friday I have been too busy to take photos, sheets on sheets off, do a bit then rain stopped progress. We had a U 13 game and I needed to sheet -as rain is forecast overnight- and with all the holes in the sheet I felt I needed to be there to try get things right. Lets hope it fairs up for tomorrow. Also this  weekend sees the first round of the cups 1st and 2nd so on Sunday I have an U9 in the morning followed by the 2nd team.

Its now just past ten at night so I will be having a coffee the off to bed. 

Please don't rain.

Sleep tight. 

Hodgy 

Raked and Mowed Outfield

I made more progress today preparing practise pitch for tonight and raking and mowing the outfield.

My little Kubota 7200 -its been a good investment- fitted with the double rake.

Not good to see but I raked the whole outfield in two directions at 90`

 Joe who is a personal trainer and starts work at 6-00am came along later in the afternoon and did some more rolling for me. Here he is rolling the nets in time for Tuesday night training.

Not seen many of these recently, cracks in the off square practise pitch.

After raking I fit my gangs to the back of tractor and cut the outfield again at 90` . The raking lifts out rubbish from the base and also presents the grass better to the cutter blades giving a  far superior finish to just gang mowing.

Just a few views of the ground on completion.

Then the guys roll up for their Tuesday night training session. Tomorrow I should have had a Uni game but that is now down down in Worcester for some reason that only the competition organisers know.

I forgot to say that Joe also rolled the two pitches on the square that are under preparation one is now getting quite firm lets hope I can keep it that way till Saturday.

Hodgy 

Almost a Full Day at the Ground

Monday morning and  no rain, a little on the cold side with a stiff breeze.  I was able to get down to ground at about 9-30 and make a start on a pitch I had cut and given a first rake about three weeks ago.

 The ground on arrival looking a little on the scruffy side, having not been cut for a week due to the weather.

I raked and cut this pitch 4 times then brushed and cut three times to get it looking like this. It was firming up all day long.

I had a telephone call from my friend Martin Crompton who holds the franchise for Total Weed Control -he does just about all my spraying- he had just been spraying the outfield at Pudsey St Lawrence and wanted to come I get mine done, as I had asked him one day last week. Sadly when he got to the ground the wind got up and was too windy for spraying, so it will have to wait for another day. We had a coffee and a good catch up on this and that -while I am working on my own I never stop for a break I get my lunch on the hoof as it were- so it was good to have a half hour for a change.

Taken aback by the prospect of a fair day I got a little giddy and took the top off and raked out a second pitch, thinking I would try get ahead of the game instead of chasing it as I have been the last three weeks. That job completed I cut the square.

I have been thinking for some time that the square was in need of verti-grooming or raking as when I come to pitch preparation they are taking that much raking and brushing. If I could only get the square as a whole raked it would help reduce preparation time. So I got the tractor mounted rake out and gave it a good rake following on with the Mastiff to mow and collect the rubbish.

I also got a text from the Joe one of the 1st team who used to help with Autumn work as a result he came down and did some rolling for me and he took some of the photos.

Thank you Joe.

Here you can see me on the tractor with the rake fit to the back, it made a good job. I intend to rake the whole outfield just as soon as time permits.

I was blessed today both the Joe's who play at the club turned up so Joe Brown alias Mad Dog cut the peripheral grass you can see him above.

By the time Joe had done some rolling the pitch was firming up nicely. Looking at the radar we may have a shower tomorrow morning but I don't think it will be much so I would like to get an second day in at the ground and get a practise pitch ready for the Tuesday night senior training session.

 I didn't get a photo of Joe rolling but this is the best I can do Joe took this one of the Animal our roller which he sat on for an hour or so.

Hodgy