Digging for victory

After more than 150 years of careful tending, the Corsham cricket square has been completely dug up.

The hallowed turf, on which two England players once learned their trade, has been stripped off and eight tons of soil removed with mechanical diggers.

The result is an area that looks more like a desert than a cricket square.

Yet no one is happier than club groundsman and chairman Tony Shardlow, who believes the result will be brighter and better cricket next summer.

The 'desert' is not the work of vandals, but of a team of specialist groundsmen, who have carried out the first major renovation work on the square since it was laid in the 1840s.

Shardlow explained: "When you think about it the square was originally meadow grass and over the years more soil, loam and marl have been added to it and rolled in.

"The result is that the bounce has become lower and slower.

"The work we have carried out now should lead to a slightly higher and more consistent bounce which in turn should lead to more enjoyable cricket."

"We are not looking for steepling bounce, but more consistent bounce."

Tons of soil, rubbish and thatch has been removed from the square and replaced with a clay-based soil known as Essex ongar.

The area has now been re-seeded with 100kgs of grass seed.

The work has cost over £5,000, with two thirds of the money coming from a grant from the England Cricket Board.

Shardlow, who has maintained the ground since 1990, is confident the money has been well spent.

"Some clubs carry out this work by treating a couple of strips a year, but that costs around £4,000 and we have had the whole square done for just over £5,000.

"The major problem has been the lack of rain during the autumn which has not helped the germination of the grass.

"We have had sprinklers on it, but nothing can beat a good soaking from the rain.

"The grass has been slow to germinate, which has meant a feast for the local pigeons, but it is beginning to improve and I'm sure it will be fine by the summer."