Cricket Groundcare: Bourne CC - End of Season Renovations

Earlier in the year, whilst we were in ‘lockdown’ we followed the Bourne CC Groundcare team (Clive Brown and Ian Greenfield) through the season as their ground maintenance programme progressed until cricket resumed play. We now return there to cover their end of season renovations.

Renovation work programme

We at Bourne CC, having spoken with a number of well experienced groundsmen, and gauging their opinion regarding end of season renovations, have decided to carry out a full programme of renovation work to our square, despite using only half of our fifteen strips.

Following the final weekend matches the square / grass has been cut down to match length in preparation for scarifying. Several directions of cut [union jack style] have been used across the square to achieve the desired length [3mm]  In total, the cutting down of the square operation has taken approximately 8hrs.

Tuesday morning's weather was once again glorious, a heavy dew existed but that soon dried off, allowing Bob Carder Stamford School to put the scarifier across the square in three directions, depth of cut set at 4mm and the last dusty pass was with the direction of play.[ aggressive bit of kit that,  poor Bob there were times when he went out of view]

Spoil removal from the scarifying operation weighed approximately 3 tons, this weight included a lot of good loam alas.

Following scarification work and using a blower the surface debris was removed, before 4 bags of Barenbrug seed applied to the square.

Using a calibrated spreader, 4 tons of Ongar loam was put back onto and across the square [10 bags per strip] together with a pre seed fertiliser.

Using a metal drag mat the loam was worked into the surface of the square, lightly covering the seed. Many thanks Bob and Jason.

Netting / fencing placed around the square.   job done [phew hard couple of days work that -  also many thanks Ian]

Forecast for tomorrow is perfect, rain has been promised so come on down.

I might just get some real time off now, 3 / 4 weeks perhaps to spend with my dog dusty and wife, assuming Covid does not spoil things, so fingers crossed.

(Clive Brown)

©Cricket World 2020