Cricket has made a
come-back in Lewisham. Two of its parks, Mayow Park and Hilly Fields, have cricket
squares. Special care is necessary to
maintain the squares to a high standard for the cricketers. One man who knows a
lot about taking care of these sites is Luke Rayment and I had the good fortune
to interview him about his work in mid-September 2015.
Luke has worked for
Glendale Lewisham Grounds Management since 2010 as their cricket groundsman and
you may spot him working on site during the cricket season.
Luke maintains the cricket squares in both parks in readiness for weekly matches. His role
includes cutting the grass to a specified height, rolling the wickets with a
roller machine and marking out the lines in white paint. He also carries out repairs to the wicket
which involves spreading loam and levelling out the site each week.
Prior to working for
Glendale, Luke worked for 11 years to maintain the greens at a golf course.
During that time he studied part-time at Hadlow College near Tunbridge Wells
for his NVQ2 with training in sports turf management. He enjoyed his work but wanted
to move on for his personal professional development.
When he first started
with Glendale he worked alongside two very experienced groundsmen and
learned a lot from them. He has attended a number of other courses including
Level 1 and Level 2 Foundation training through the English Cricket Board (ECB)
where he improved his skills to maintain a cricket square.
He finds this work very
satisfying particularly when he can see the impact he makes on the cricket
square. He appreciates the positive feedback he receives from Glendale Lewisham
managers, one of whom is a cricket fan. Park users also show their interest with comments
about cricket in Mayow Park and compliments about Luke’s work.
Occasionally he is
disappointed by thoughtless behaviour from the public, particularly when people
walk across the cricket square, play football and other activities which cause
damage. They are not aware of the effort and care that goes into maintaining
the site. Fortunately in Mayow Park this is rare.
Luke’s work in our park is
special and his satisfaction with what he does is wonderful. Now I know why he
always looks cheerful. Thank you, Luke.
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