When playing winter sports such as football, rugby or lacrosse on your outfield you should renovate and repair any damage to surface levels or grass cover before the cricket season. This might require the use of rootzone to repair goal mouth and other high wear areas. You should allow sufficient time for these areas to recover before the cricket season.
This should not be a barrier to multi-sport use of cricket outfield if the wear is managed carefully through the winter. Make sure the amount of use, especially in wet periods is sustainable without excessive damage to grass cover or surface levels. You may need to restrict play during particularly wet periods. Junior use is preferred because the wear is less. A small amount of wear is actually helpful to the cricket outfield because it helps to control thatch.
You should carry out a pre-cricket-season programme of:
- Targeted goal mouth and other high wear area repair using rootzone, grass seed and fertiliser.
- Remove goal posts and make good sockets (noting location!) to ensure that they are safe for cricket use.
- Using germination sheeting can help to establish grass more quickly in cooler pre-season temperatures.
- Restoration of surface levels across pitch areas using harrows, drag mats and other similar tools.
- Scarification of the outfield if budgets allow (always collect arisings)
- Overseeding and fertiliser application to pitch areas.
- Solid tine aeration.
- Sand or rootzone topdressing (if budgets allow).
Tips
- Make sure goal posts are removed as soon as possible and immediately following goal mouth repairs to prevent further wear from casual use
- You should factor renovation costs into your use agreements with clubs hiring your outfield.
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