It is usually advisable for all materials which are to be used in the project to be approved by the Customer well before any material reaches the site. It will still be up to the Contractor to ensure that the materials are consistent and true to the original sample throughout the period of the contract and they comply with the relevant material specifications.
Each individual material specification will need to be written to suit the particular situation, however, the following could be used as a guideline from where to start:
Delivery notes for materials used may be requested as evidence of materials used.
(A) Clay loam for the Cricket Square surface layer
(1) ASSB strength of at least 50 kg
(2) Particle size analysis (by weight) to be:
- Clay content 0.002mm: 30 - 32%
- Silt content 0.002 - 0.05mm: 25 - 60%
- Sand content:
- 0.05 - 1.00mm: 10-30%
- 1.0 - 2.0 mm: No more than 2%
(3) Organic matter content: 3 - 6%
(4) pH: 5.5 - 6.5
(5) The material is to be sterilised
(B) Sandy loam for the Cricket Square sub-layer
(1) Particle size analysis (by weight) to be:
- Clay content: 0.002mm: 3 - 8%
- Silt content : 0.002 - 0.05mm: 3 - 8%
- Sand content:
- 0.05 - 0.125mm: 3 - 8%
- 0.125 -0.50mm: 60 - 80%
- 0.50 - 1.0mm: 15 - 25%
- > 1.0mm: No more than 3%
(2) Organic matter content: 4 - 8%
(3) pH: 5.5 - 6.5
(4) Hydraulic Conductivity: 25-50mm/hr
(C) Stone for the base-layer
(1) Particle size analysis (by weight) to be:
- < 5mm: Max' 10%
- 5 - 10mm: 80-100%
- > 10mm: Max' 10%
(2) Resistant to crushing
(3) Hydraulic Conductivity: Min' 1000mm/hr
(D) Pre-seeding fertiliser
- Mini-granular type
- 6% nitrogen / 9% phosphate / 6% potash
- or shall be of a similar type with a unit ratio of 1:1½:1; ±10% of either nutrient.
(E) Spring / Summer fertiliser
- Mini-granular type
- 11% nitrogen / 5% phosphate / 5% potash
- or shall be of a similar type with a unit ratio of 2:1:1; ±10% of either nutrient.
(F) Spring / Summer liquid fertiliser
(1) A liquid fertiliser may be used during the main growing season to supplement the mini-granular fertiliser applied.
(2) The amount of nutrients must be agreed beforehand, however, the content will be relatively low, as this liquid fertiliser will only be used as a slight trickle feed on a regular basis if required, and not to give a large boost to the turf.
(G) Grass seed for cricket square
- 20 - 40% Chewing's Fescue
- 50 - 70% Perennial Ryegrass
- 5 - 10% Browntop Bent
The cultivars may also be named, or alternatively those within the STRI's annual Turfgrass Seed publication that meet a certain level of criteria may be deemed as acceptable. For example, Perennial Ryegrass Cultivars must appear in both the top 20% of cultivars for cricket type use within the wear tolerance criterion, plus the top 33% from the leaf fineness criterion.
(H) Grass seed for the immediate cricket square surrounds and adjacent outfield
- 20-40% Chewings Fescue;
- 20-40% Strong Creeping Red Fescue
- 5-15% Browntop Bent
- 25-40% Smooth Stalked Meadow Grass
- 0-10% Perennial Ryegrass
The cultivars may also be named, or alternatively those within the STRI's annual Turfgrass Seed publication that meet a certain level of criteria may be deemed as acceptable. For example, Chewings Fescue Cultivars must appear in the top 20% of cultivars for sward density criterion.