In something of a repeat of last year, the wet weather has played havoc with pitch makers who face the usual race to be ready for April fixtures.
In 2023, my article on Yorkshire’s leagues postponing fixtures caught the attention, on account of the fact that we’d had record-breaking rain and many clubs had been underwater for long spells.
We may yet have a warm and dry April that enables a redoubling of efforts and all is well.
Of course, some grounds will have been more adversely affected than others based on everything from rainfall and soil composition to basic geography (being on top of a hill can’t hurt, bottom of a valley not so great).
It was Grounds Week in March; an awareness campaign by the Grounds Management Association to celebrate all those grounds care volunteers and professionals.
The GMA reckons improving existing grass pitches could lead to nearly half a million more children (489,859) playing the game every season. There are other typical challenges too in the industry, with 40% of the workforce over 50 years old and the need for new recruits as prominent as ever.
If finding new faces to mow, roll and rake is a concern, the impact of severe weather is only going to increase. The ECB’s Environmental Sustainability Plan for Cricket points out that ‘the top ten hottest years since UK records began (in 1884) have all been since 2003, including 2022 – the hottest on record and sixth-driest summer – saw temperatures exceed 40°C for the first time.’
If moaning about the weather is a very British pastime, it’s with good reason and club cricket pitches are often affected.
SInce 1998, we’ve had six of the ten wettest years ever recorded and many in Yorkshire and the North recall the Boxing Day floods of 2015 with a clarity and horror as if it were yesterday.
In contrast, I also noticed Jasmine Nicholls, Groundswoman at Yorkshire County Cricket Club, tweeted a photo this week of the team watering the square at Headingley because it’s been covered; reinforcing the extreme variables in cricket pitch maintenance.
I cannot claim to know much about the art and science of preparing a cricket pitch but the same basic principles apply whether you’re at Headingley or in the Nidderdale League.
If it’s been too wet and the ground is boggy or there’s a lake of standing water then pre-season mowing and rolling ain’t gonna happen.
Obviously, the more prep a groundskeeper can do, the better shape that the cricket square and outfield will be in. But with heavy equipment, there’s the balancing act between that magnetic desire to get out and do the work with the risk of making things potentially worse.
The interest in this affects us all. There’s the pride for groundskeepers in wanting to get their grass as ready as possible. By April, players naturally want to get outside and train as well as not wishing to lose any fixtures. For leagues, it’s the nightmare scenario which may not unfold just yet.
In 2023, it was a case of who blinked first and the NYSD set the tone for which all other leagues in Yorkshire followed.
I said at the time, it takes something for a league to postpone a whole round of fixtures. The bigger the league, the more fixtures have to be knitted into a congested schedule often on a Sunday, Bank Holiday or tacked onto the end of the campaign.
Chris Windle is groundsman at Skipton Church Institute CC of the Craven & District Cricket League: “The weather has been extremely frustrating for local groundsmen in the run-up to the start of the season on 20 April.”
He added: “Important pre-season work on the square is out of the question at most grounds in the Craven League due to the incessant rain. As a result, one groundsman at least has raised the possibility of yet another delayed start to the season.”
There’s a full league meeting for all clubs on Monday 25 March, and that’s the opportunity to discuss a contingency plan.
Meanwhile, David Young, President of the Bradford Premier League, told me:
“It’s been a tough winter for groundspeople. I think it’s the wettest I can remember. But with warmer temperatures things change very quickly. A few days ago, I couldn’t walk on the ground at Undercliffe (above) but today it’s been cut and rolling is underway.”
He added: “At Esholt and Tong Park, although behind where we were last year, we are making progress. No need to panic yet. There’s still four weeks to go and a lot can change in a short period of time.”
As for fixture reshuffling, it’s not come to that yet…
“Postponing has to be a last resort. The fixture list is so congested that finding alternative dates is almost impossible. As ever, the Bradford Premier League will take views from clubs and come to a sensible decision.”
In club cricket, is it fairer to cancel those games rather than postpone them? Leave a comment below. But when has the weather ever cared about fairness in cricket?
Typically, clubs unable to play will share points and leagues are naturally very reluctant to postpone a full round of games and will make that call as late as possible if needed.
We might not need to here in Yorkshire but from speaking to those who tend to their own grassy kingdoms as well as dipping into various Facebook groups, it is definitely a concern in some parts.
A fortnight is a long time in club cricket.
Optimism rises and falls with the sun and the rain. We’ll know soon enough but a shoutout to all those preparing cricket grounds for the season ahead. They do a fantastic job for the rest of us.
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Hi John, I agree with all the sentiments here mate.
Being a valley bottom club we are often slow to see the ground firm up but this year has certainly been the worst for a whole for us.
That said, we had 5 days dry weather recently and managed a light
roll on the outfield followed up with a full cut. The square got its first cylinder cut too.
Then it rained again and we’re back at square one.
God knows when we’ll be able to get a roller on the square though.
With just 4 weeks left to the start of the season we all have our fingers crossed for a dry start to April.
Good luck everybody.
Keith
Always good to hear from you Keith. All the best for pre-season work on the ground at Bridgeholme.
Being at over 1100 feet doesn’t make it any better. we just get it before everyone else. we do what we can but definitely behind with everything same as last year.
Good point Bob, as you say, you can only do what you can at this time of year.
Bob Dougall is correct. Oakworth at over 900 feet have not managed to get on our ground yet. Can’t recall a worse pre-season.
Thanks Michael – Quite a few high grounds in Yorkshire, just means you get it before everyone else! I like Oakworth.
Without any further delay, every league should move the first two weeks of the season to the end and/or add the late May bank holiday into their fixture list.
Any league committee that, as of today, genuinely believe that even half their grounds will be ready for any meaningful league cricket this month, probably also believe in unicorns! For them to expect a full start to the season in just over two weeks is simply not on, as it puts unnecessary pressure on groundskeepers who are already pushed to their limits due to an expectation that they prepare test match standard pitches week in week out on a shoestring budget and with a lack of volunteers to help them.
Obviously, this would push back the end of season work until late September, but everyone managed in the Covid season, and we’ve not heard of any issues with the grounds at clubs where they do theirs in October each year. Competition should be on the pitch between the teams, not clubs/groundskeepers to see who can do their end of season work first and post pictures online!
This should also be the springboard for league committees to start discussions about reformatting their leagues to 10 team divisions, with the first two rounds of their cups played on a Saturday. This provides 20 weeks of competitive cricket and removes the early rounds of cup matches on a Sunday that very few players want to play in. Leagues then start the first week in May, and clubs that really want to play in April can arrange friendly fixtures.
It is such a simple solution, but too many are stuck in their ways to even consider such a change.
Finally, give your groundskeepers some support. It’s a really tough time for them at the moment.
Interesting stuff, thanks for the comment. The greater the impact the weather has on club cricket over years (you could argue we’re already there), the more we’ll have to adapt rather than ignore what’s in front of us. Reformatting leagues is one route and there’s definitely an argument for ending later.
All of the above from ‘P’ 👏
“We’ve always done it like this” is the death knell of this sport. 18 league games plus at least one cup game still works as a season. Takes out the vagaries of Easter BHs, and still gives an option to extend one week into Sept, when grounds can cope better with some bad weather, whereas April is becoming increasingly improbable. Add in the ‘Champion club’ for Yorkshire. playoffs for Premier League clubs.. Something has to give and 10 club divisions seems relatively painless (after the first year of reorganisation anyway!)
Thanks Cush – Cricket doesn’t tend to change quickly and that includes at grassroots but there may come a crunch point where it’s forced to. I’ve lost count of the number of groundskeepers telling me their grounds won’t be fit for any cricket until May at least. Less cricket will never be popular but it creates a bit of breathing space. Organising the composition of divisions in leagues must be a nightmare though.
Thanks for covering this, John. At Crossgates CC in YPLN, we installed drainage about 15 years ago and it’s definitely been worth the effort. But this pre season has been the worst I can remember in my 25 years at the club. The water table currently has nowhere to go. I understand the history local leagues have of completing half the fixtures by the end of June but late September consistently is warmer than April and apart from the declining light we generally have better conditions for playing. Hopefully local leagues start to think about this. Hopefully, we see a break in the weather and all teams are able to commence playing on 4 May.
Hi Andrew, thanks for your thoughts. As you say, if the water table is so high, not much you can do. I think the bridge towards more considering this viable is for one league to try it.
Might be wet then etc etc but if it works for those clubs locally to run an experiment then why not? Some grounds still very wet but relieved to see club cricket being played.
All the best at Crossgates.