Patearoa Club's Ground

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28448, 30 November 1957, Page 5

Patearoa Club's Ground

The ground on which J- RReid’s team of Oamaru colts played the Patearoa club recently is well remembered by members of the Old Collegians Cricket Club who played there last season. Prompted by an account in "The Press” of the activities of the club—which is celebrating its sixtieth anniversary this year—a member of the 1956-57 touring Old Collegian’s team has supplied his recollections of the ground. Set in the arid Maniototo plain, the cricket ground provides an emerald green contrast to the surrounding countryside. The outfield is, indeed, an unnatural green, for the meagre rainfall is supplemented by water pumped from a nearby reservoir. The club spent hundreds of pounds in installing its ’’irrigation system," and now has an outfield which compares favourably with that of Hagley oval. The wicket is concrete, for the maintenance of

a turf wicket poses too many problems in a small township. Matting Preserved The Old Collegians’ players voted this the best concrete wicket they had seen anywhere. In particular, they were impressesd with the care taken to preserve the matting, having seen the hazards posed to players by worn and ragged matting. At Patearoa two rubber mats are standard equipment. Before each over begins. the bowler places one of the mats on the coir matting,, where his foot lands after delivery. The rubber not only prevents the bowler from jarring his foot but also protects the coir matting and the canvas from the bowler’s nailed boots. A further refinement noticed at Patearoa which might be copied by other clubs owning concrete pitches Is the practice of patching the bowler’s run-up. Apparently the elub keeps a small turf nursery, from which several squares are cut before each game to repair the ravages of the previous week’s game. The work the Patearoa players have put into their ground is [typical of their approach to the game. Just as the ground might Ibe held up as a standard for country clubs everywhere to aim [at. so might the enthusiasm of the Patearoa cricketers be held I up as an example to club cricketers in town or country.