| No report can be compiled
without first congratulating the 1st XI on the fantastic success
achieved in 2003 by gaining promotion to the elite Premier
Division of the Surrey Championship.
This is all the more significant as it was
achieved in the 75th anniversary of the club at a time when
the club was featured as the focus in the championship Handbook.
Well done Benny and the boys!
Let’s hope the wickets produced at the
Avorians assisted with that promotion.
Generally I was pleased with the wickets I
produced in 2003 however the general complaint was that the
wickets were slow!
Let me deal with the reason for the lack of
pace in the square.
The square was laid in 1947 so it is now all
of 56 years old and as many Groundsman will tell you the effective
life of a square is 25 years. So the only way to get more
pace is to dig up the square and relay it.
As this would cost in upwards of £40,000,
there seems little hope of that happening as the club has
more pressing financial matters to deal with. So dealing with
what we have is the only option.
In order to obtain more pace with what we
have I have embarked on a heavy spiking programme through
the autumn and the winter to try to get deeper root growth.
This is showing benefits already and together
with fertilisers aimed at promoting the root growth I hope
the desired results will be seen by all. The square is now
well grown and has recovered from the rigours of the 2003
season.
The outfield has posed bigger problems with
the long hot dry summer on the basically sandy soil. This
has resulted in a lot of the grass dying and the proliferation
of moss.
To try to combat both issues I have hand spiked
the entire outfield using the Patterson wicket spiker.
Although this took four days to achieve I
can already see beneficial results and with the application
of fertilisers I am hopeful that the outfield will recover
sufficiently.
Spraying with soluble iron in the spring will
kill most of the moss and raise the PH of the soil.
I have dealt with the main issues I intend
to follow however there is the issue of who does any of these
tasks if I am unable to undertake them through injury or illness!
No one in the club has shown the remotest
interest in the upkeep of the ground and I don’t think
anyone else knows how to start the mower!
If there was someone in the club who is interested
I would be only too willing to show them how to deal with
the ground issues in my absence.
If no one comes forward I must remind you that to employ someone
to do the job would cost the club £8,000 per annum and
that is something that this club can ill afford.
There are issues on the ground that will also
need a band of willing volunteers notably for leaf clearing
in January / February 2004 and preparing the ground in March
for the upcoming season.
As the end of season 2003 work party was badly
attended as usual, it seems that the memberships lack of general
interest remains.
However if the necessary assistance is not
forthcoming in 2004 then you will have to play in the conditions
that the ground finds itself in!
Please do not take the issues I have outlined
lightly as if you wish to continue playing cricket at Convent
Lane at a club with ambitions then you have to give a little
time yourselves in order to ensure its continued existence!
John Lane – Groundsman
23.11.03
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