Introduction
The work carried out during this period will cover January to April and play will typically commence during the latter part of April or early May depending upon the level of competition.
Adequate pre-season work is essential if a well prepared pitch is to be presented for play during the summer months.
When soil conditions are wet during the pre-season period then it is beneficial to keep off the pitch as much as possible.
All groundstaff need to know about their particular pitch and what is expected from it. The importance of understanding management and maintenance requirements of different pitch constructions cannot be emphasised enough. This is an essential prerequisite for good turf management techniques and should be the foundation on which a yearly maintenance programme is based.
Rolling
The most significant and difficult part of pre-season cricket maintenance is rolling. This is usually a blend of art, science and local knowledge. There is no hard and fast rule about how often and how heavy a roller should be to prepare a pitch for the season, however, useful guidelines can be given.
- When to start rolling will depend upon local soil and weather conditions. An initial light rolling might commence in February (with a 3 cwt light roller), with the weight increasing quite significantly during March. Towards the end of March the weight of the roller could be 1 to 1.5 tonnes.
- Initial light rolling can help to settle any frost heave that may have occurred over the winter period.
- The ground should be moist but not wet when rolling takes place.
- Rolling frequency and weight of roller used will gradually increase as the playing season approaches.
- After rolling, it is usually a good idea to lightly spike with a sarel spiked roller, or similar, to a depth of 25 to 40mm.
- If staffing levels permit then rolling might be carried out on a daily basis for up to a month prior to the middle to end of April. The main aim is to consolidate the soil in the pitch down to about 150mm depth (at least 100mm), before the first match takes place.
Mowing
Gradually reduce the height of cut from the winter height of 12-25mm (this will depend upon the requirements of the dominant grass species and standard required) to the start of the season height of say 10-18mm.
It is important to reduce the height slowly over the whole of this period otherwise a rapid reduction can lead to a drastic thinning of the sward. This will be particularly evident if a late frost, cold wet spells or cold winds occur.
Always box off the clippings to reduce the chance of disease attacks and earthworm activity.
Chemical applications
The need to spray will depend on weather conditions and the condition of the pitch. Fusarium might be a problem following any early fertiliser application that might take place in March, whilst earthworm activity can be a problem as the winter frosts recede and the spring approaches.
Scarification
At this early stage of the year it is best to lightly scarify during mild periods. Take care not to scarify too severely as the grass will struggle to maintain a suitable surface. It is particularly important that a well developed root system is produced on a pitch, otherwise the soil will crumble during the playing season. Severe scarification can result in increased leaf growth at the expense of root growth. Take a balanced approach and be sensible about severity of any operations undertaken.
Dragbrushing
Carry this operation out on a regular basis to keep the grass upright, which will help to keep adequate air flow around the grass blades. Earthworm casts, if present, will be dispersed on a regular basis and this will help to prevent the grass from becoming smothered. A consequence of leaving undisturbed earthworm casts on the pitch is that besides the underlying grass will die out and weeds will be able to invade the weakened areas.
Fertiliser application
A light application of a fertiliser during the middle of March may be considered. A typical application might provide 2 g/N/m² (As an example, this could be given as 25 g/m² of an 8:0:0 fertiliser). A small of amount of iron within the fertiliser may also be considered.