Tuesday 27 January 2015

Tuesday 27th January

Great news!

It is not often that groundsmen get good news, but today I heard that the Parish Council have given the club a grant to buy a new sight screen.

For a number of years we have been very grateful to Acaster Steel for making a pair of sight screens. These consisted of a metal frame to which we fixed sheets of plywood at the start of each game. The frames were painted white and needed regular maintenance as the rust came through. The plywood sheets did their job but were at the end of their life. 

Last year on a very windy day one of the screens blew over. Thankfully nobody was hurt but that signalled the end for these screens.

The Parish Council has been very supportive over the years, giving us grants for most of the equipment that we have needed.  They have help us buy: a SISIS Autoturfman, SISIS scarifier, 2 layflat covers, a BowDry, SISIS Combirake, a Sarel roller and a wheeled sprayer. These grants have made a big difference to our club and we are very grateful to them.

Two years ago the Recreation Centre bought a sight screen to help obscure some new play equipment that had been installed, right behind the bowler's arm. We bought one with a mesh screen that can be rolled up after each game and screen can easily be removed at the end of the season and stored away. We will buy another one with the grant we have just received. If any club is thinking of buying a new sight screen I can recommend this type.



4m mesh cricket sight screen



The next job is to order it and then when it comes, put it together. The new one has hinged uprights which means that the screen can be positioned on the uprights at ground level. No longer will we need a ladder at each end and two brave volunteers lifting the screen into position!