Working Abroad!

Been on my travels. 

Below is the view from the ground I have been doing a job at today.

Any idea where it is?

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 Well it used to be a county out-ground.

Know now?

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There used to be a football stand between the Cricket ground and what is now the Mosque.

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Yes its Bradford Park Avenue.

I was there strangely scarifying the square. I know, I know!

Things are a bit desperate there as there are worm casts on top of worm casts and the square is so uneven that it is dangerous. So my old friend Richard Robinson who has just taken over the ground has had it scarified in order to try and remove some of the casts and try to get some levels back. 

He is thinking of getting a heavy roller on to push it down. 

And top dressing the pitches he will not need till later in the season.

Good luck Robbo.

Robbo brushing after I had scarified.

The rather light Sothert and Pitt roller something a bit heavier required I think.

Wibsey Park Chapel now play at this once fine ground where in 1950 Jim Laker took 8 for 2 off 14 overs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Park_Avenue_(stadium)

Two photos of the turf after the scarifying process. 

I hope it works Robbo.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, we can always do things to the book, groundsmen have to learn to cope and adapt to the circumstances to be able to get the best results possible.

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Forgot to say Last week when I was Ill that I saw my first swallow on Wednesday at Pudsey Congs.

I saw my second today at Park Avenue. I was at my brother in laws farm Near Appletreewick in the Dales and he had heard the Cuckoo last week.

I have another busy week with work at Pool and both Pudsey St Lawrence and Pudsey Congs. 

Thanks goodness I have no Uni game and the seconds are at home on Saturday.

I hope you are all doing well now and your grass is green -a decent week and weekend in prospect I think.

Hodgy

Prepared for Saturday

With the help of the clubs overseas player Steven Gornall I am able to make good progress and the photos above show the ground just before I left for a pint this evening.

Sunny but very cold icy wind.

Have a good weekend all 

I hope your pitches play well.

Hodgy

No New Post Due to Illness

Sorry guys I have felt like S..t this week I have got some kind of virus and suffering from Addison's as I do it hits me harder than most and it takes longer to shake it off .I have been in bed most nights by 8-00 pm. I have been busy with training pitches, Uni games, cutting outfields and paperwork and just not feeling like taking photos and blogging. I will be back soon though as I feel a little better this morning.

Photo courtesy of Steven Gornall 

Back soon. 

Hodgy

Contractors and Break in

Thursday was a very hectic day I arrived at the ground at 7-00 am to meet Jonathan Smith from 

JMS Sport UK to sort out details of two artificial pitches we are having installed.

After out initial discussion I noticed that the club house window was broken. Yes another break in TV spirits and a kettle you wouldn't take to the charity shop had all gone.

I phone the police and awaited their arrival along with the joiner to board up and order a replacement window. At about this time the flooring fitters contractors to Greenholme Mills carpets arrived so I sorted them out next.

 Police arrive an we think we have found a trace of blood -all getting really exciting now-

It turned out to be black current juice, according to the SOCs guy when he arrived, oh dear!

Meanwhile the flooring guys are getting on cutting lino and screening the floor.

About this time the Leeds Met guys arrive for a training session but I have to disappointing them as I have no grass pitch available the had given it a right going over Wednesday and I need to have something for all.

They did some fielding drills and hit a few balls against nets.

 Smithy being camera shy, he knew the police were around.

Work progress's on the artificial pitches.

All in all Thursday was a very hectic one for me and I didn't get a chance to catch up with a lot of my groundsmen friends who were also having a bad day. 

It had been gale force winds in and around Leeds and I got feed back from Pool, Otley, Lightcliffe, Farsley, Beckwithshaw,  that they had lost sight screens mobiles nets frames and various pieces of equipment.

My thoughts were with you guys struggling after the late spring and all to get things ready for the first League game of the season.

Just one more challenge for a most underrated profession/job.

Chin up boys the season is here.

Enjoy.

That's all I have time for now will try keep you up to speed as things progress with artificial.

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PS

Had a report from Rod Heyhoe that he saw the first Swallow the other day so I can officially declare that the

Cricket season is here.

   

A Destruction of Cricketers

Had a good day down at the Field of Dreams today with the help of Steven our overseas player, so good that I forgot to take any photos till I was on my way home.

Anyway what I did take are below and as you can see

"A Destruction of Cricketers" 

arrive, after not seeing a lot of them since the last game back in September last year.

Its been a very windy yet pleasant day today and with the help of Steven I got the marks in for mowing the outfield -it takes an age on your own. Brushed the outfield and mowed it with the gangs.  

Steven put a patch in the artificial so I wouldn't catch it with the mower and it would be safe to field over he also cleared away some rubbish and rolled the pitch for the training session.

We both then put the nets up and it was a task in the gale-force wind we had to put four guy lines on some posts.

I then left em to it I hope they enjoyed a good session.

Now the players and sun are back it just needs the swallows and it will feel like its the Cricket season.

Rain forecast tomorrow but will it be enough?

I might need to water!

Cheers

Hodgy