Lindow Cricket Club: Successful Grass Establishment on a Newly Built Cricket Square

When establishing a new cricket square, getting the right loam is an important part of achieving good grass establishment and, ultimately, a successful playing surface.

There is a long-standing belief in cricket ground management that different loam types should not be mixed. However, compatibility should not necessarily be assumed. There are tests available to establish whether different loams are compatible, including the Motty Test.

At Lindow Cricket Club, the head groundsman carried out a Motty Test to assess whether our GSB County Loam was compatible with the loam previously used on the site.

The test confirmed that the two loams were compatible, allowing work to begin on the newly built square using our GSB County Loam.

The loam was applied across the new square and, as the accompanying before-and-after images show, the results have been excellent.

Work at the beginning of the process on the new square at Lindow. Loam being put down

The grass has established strongly following the application of the loam, providing a good covering across the new square and demonstrating the importance of selecting the right product for the conditions.

For groundsmen working on new cricket squares, the message is simple: rather than relying on assumptions about whether different loams can be used together, compatibility can be tested before application.

At Lindow Cricket Club, the Motty Test provided confirmation that GSB County Loam was compatible with the existing loam, giving the grounds team confidence to proceed with the application.

The resulting grass establishment speaks for itself.