Basic Equipment

a) 100-150kg smooth-drum, hand roller.

b) 1 - 1.3 tonne tandem smooth-drum roller.

c) 450mm wide cylinder mower with catcher.

d) Rotary lawn mower.

e) Knapsack sprayer.

f) Wheelbarrow, rakes, shovels, hoses and marking equipment.

g) Washed hessian (24m x 3m) in 2 pieces.

h)Water proof covers (tarpaulin) either 30m x 5m or large enough to provide complete weather protection to the wicket area and approaches.

A main cause of complaint from players and/or umpires on the way in which a wicket plays is due to lack of preparation of the wicket. Under ideal conditions e.g. fine sunny weather and healthy strong turfgrass, the preparation of the pitch really begins on the day following the last match or Monday (assuming the next game is not until the following Saturday).

This work only requires either patching the old footholes and then irrigating or just plain heavy irrigation for approximately 2 to 3 hours. Having sufficient deep water in the pitch is essential to its preparation. Again, assuming no rain and loss of sunshine the actual physical work should begin on Tuesday afternoon.

Firstly, the pitch is defined by placing string lines approximately 10' 3" apart for the length of the pitch area. With enough surface water so as to cause a small "bow-wave" the hand roller is used from one end to the other, and on return, edging across no more than 6".  This process again assumes that the wicket area is evenly grassed and level.

This process is repeated until the pitch becomes "tacky", that is the clay soil begins to adhere to the roller drum. It is then irrigated again and the process repeated. At various times the pitch is also rolled in an east to west direction, using the same method of irrigating and rolling. It may take approximately 3 hours for this initial preparation to achieve the effect of working the clay wicket soil through the turf stolons to the surface.

Having achieved the desired effect, the pitch is then irrigated and left overnight. Wednesday should see the pitch with the leaf washed off and in a "plasticine" condition. At this stage it is difficult to advise one grounds man from another exactly when to begin using the roller, as if used too soon the clay soil with adhere to the roller. If left too late the next stage of compaction may be insufficient to achieve even bounce of the finished pitch.

In explanation of the entire process of pitch preparation, it can be assumed that the afternoon session can be spent rolling the pitch in much the same manner as the day previous, with the exception of the amount of water used. This amount is more a "spray" than actual water e.g. using a fine spray nozzle, walk up and down the wicket twice, waving the hose from side to side in an even pattern, wait for a few minutes and then roll for approximately 1/2 an hour, or until the drums of the roller are completely dry. Repeat the procedure for the remainder of the afternoon.

At days end, irrigate to wash the leaf free from accumulated clay soil.

Continue this procedure the following day and again on Friday morning. Although on Friday the time between spraying is increased to 1 hour and less water is applied. All of the previous is weather dependant and so local issues must be observed as to the amount of water and drying times.

This method can also be applied to the practice wickets and so it be seen that there is a need for the Groundsman to be at the wicket for most of the week.

The worst case of "un-professional" wicket preparation encountered has been the Groundsman arriving at the wicket on a Friday afternoon to attempt preparation of a turf wicket and expect to provide a true playing surface the next day.

It can be seen that it takes a little more than a quick cut and roll to achieve the desired result. If it is not possible to work on Saturday mornings then the wicket can be cut and marked on Friday afternoon  and given a final heavy roll, with no water, for approximately 1 hour before the Groundsman leaves.

This is not ideal, but it may not be financially possible for the ground authority to provide funds for Saturday work.

As mentioned, this should be used purely as a guide for the preparation of the wicket and cannot be used as a rule due to the fact that each wicket has its own peculiarities and the weather is not always perfect. There are other methods of wicket preparation which involve less use of water at various stages which will also provide the desired result.

That is, to provide the player with a surface that is true and consistent.