The pitch has gone through an unbelievable change over the last 7 months. The complete reconstruction of the square, major transformation of the transitions from square to outfield, and regeneration of the deeper outfield has been remarkable.

Ahead of our first game on the pitch tomorrow (24th April 2021), the project reviewed the work to date, looked at the pitch, and planned into the future. This was completed with our consultants, TGMS, who continue to be fully engaged in the process which has spanned the last 3½ years. Without their input, there is no way we could have got such an incredible success for this transformation.

Currently, the square is absolutely brilliant, and the outcome is very impressive in both the construction from Bourne Sports and maintenance with our long-term groundsman Kevin Clarke. Rainfall has been non-existent for the last month which has caused some cracking, but all of this will be expertly maintained by our groundsman. Regarding expectations, we think the square will be lower and slower this year. It should also flatten out over the year as it settles and we play more cricket on it. Considering all this, the cut wickets look great and are very hard.

The outfield has likewise been impacted by the lack of rain recently. This has hindered the growth of the recent overseed and would have helped result in a smoother surface had the ground remained softer for longer. Work will continue over time to improve the area even more.

Both the square and outfield are in their infancy. It is well understood that 2021 will be a year where for it to settle. Where the ground moves over time, maintenance work will happen to remediate and improve on what we have. This will be on going and we should slowly see the pitch improve further over the next few years.

I’m beginning to see how groundsmanship is such an art. Yes, it is based off of a deep scientific approach where knowledge and experience are everything, but to react to the minute differences in locality, weather and timing, make this an interminably difficult job. At Locksbottom CC we are so grateful to all the experts that are involved in giving our community the best possible facility that may be enjoyed for many generations to come.

As many around the project and club know, this would not have happened without the support of IDVerde and London Borough of Bromley, who share our approach to building, maintaining and delivering environments to enhance the local community.

Recent photos can be found at the below:
https://www.pitchero.com/admin/club/45992/site-content/photos/view?album_id=972926