Preparing a cricket wicket, especially one used by professionals, takes a level of skill
that some landscapers may not have considered before. In this article, Readylawn
managing director Roger Morgan takes us through the nitty gritty
The Readylawn Christchurch turf construction team has gained a lot of experience building cricket wickets. There’s a lot involved in getting a block up to international standards, starting with the sub-base construction, clay selection, installation, compacting and seeding.
Sub-base
For international and first class (professional) wickets, the latest trend is to build a ‘road’ under the block. To do so, start with a layer of AP65 aggregate, compacted to 95% of its maximum dry density and tested with road compaction equipment. On top of that, a layer of AP40 also compacted to 95%. The AP40 is used to create a final level base, to +/- 5mm.
Our latest block for NZ Cricket at Lincoln in Christchurch is 800m2. On this occasion, we utilised a civil contractor to assist with the base construction as the project timelines were tight. Club and city wickets don’t need as much attention – just level and compact the sub-base soil before installing clay.
Clay Installation
A lot of thought goes into clay selection and there are a few accepted first class clays in New Zealand. North Island Patumahoe Clay is the go-to and, in the South Island, we tend to use Kakanui or more recently Waikari. However, keep in mind that there’s plenty more types of clay available for local use. The clays mentioned in the paragraph above have a high clay content and are suitable for grass growth but can also be rolled very hard.
The clay is bought in from the supplier pre-screened and ready for installation. Careful installation by using an excavator is required to ensure an even application and initial consolidation. The final depth of clay is around 100mm, with about 140mm loose installed initially and lightly consolidated. Then, we work it down with laser grading equipment, roll it again and relaser it. It’s a time consuming but important process.
Finishing and seeding
Once the clay is consolidated and close to its final compaction, we loosen the top for seed and fertiliser. We use an industrial scarifiyer, as the ground is now pretty hard. Once it is loosened, we hand seed at high rates (50 grams plus) with a proven wicket block seed. We use PGG Wrightson’s rye grass ‘sparticus’, although others are available.
Growing in
Careful moisture management is required for successful seed germination. The goal
initially is to get a healthy grass growth and good deep roots. After 12-16 weeks, rolling can begin to flatten the block. Any touch-ups with seed and clay occur during this time.
Wicket preparation for play
I could fill an entire issue of NZ Landscaper with how to prepare a wicket for a day’s play – and the manuals for this are many pages long! Wicket prep initially involves getting even moisture through the clay and rolling when the soil moisture is optimal and drying.
This starts a few weeks before the wicket is needed for play. Combined with careful mowing, nutrient and moisture management, the list of things that can go wrong exceeds the things that go right. I respect the turf teams around the country that are responsible for getting these pitches ready for big games as there are plenty of armchair experts when things don’t go right!
Roger Morgan is managing director of Readylawn Industries in Christchurch, which provides
turf, landscape contracting services, synthetic and sportsfield construction, and maintenance
services. The Readylawn system is franchised with farms around New Zealand. For more information visit www.readylawn.co.nz