On Monday morning (20 May) County Championship Cricket returns to the Isle of Wight for the first time since 1962.
In Newclose Cricket Ground’s tenth Anniversary season Hampshire will face Nottinghamshire’s best, including England Test star and fast bowler Stuart Broad.
The late Brian Gardener would have been immensely proud that the ground he developed was at last being graced by such high profile professional sportsmen.
During the two months of the ICC Cricket World Cup both teams will be unable to play home games at their respective Test Match grounds at The Ageas Bowl and Trent Bridge, both of which are fully committed to World Cup international matches.
In the case of Hampshire that means the best alternative venue is Newclose [Isle of Wight] situated one mile south of Newport on Blackwater Road, PO30 3BE.
Both Newclose and Hampshire are confident that the four day match from 20-23 May will be a great success for the players, officials and spectators and that confidence is reflected in a four year staging agreement for County Cricket at Newclose extending to the 2022 season.
This puts significant pressure on the host venue’s ability to create pitches and outfields that can replicate the qualities of the Test Match and County Grounds.
Groundsman luxury
Outgrounds’ have to be able to reassure the County Clubs and the England & Wales Cricket Board that a four day match will go the distance. There have been some notable instances of grounds where under-prepared pitches have given bowlers an undue advantage over batsmen to such a degree that what should have been a four day match finishes early on the third day - to the proverbial crowd of ‘one man and a dog’!
For the full decade since the ground opened in 2009, Newclose has enjoyed the luxury of having had the same Head Groundsman, Andy Butler. Whilst Andy is assisted by volunteers who mow the outfield, the ‘square’ and 22 yard pitches have always had the benefit of quality preparation by a gifted and professional man in charge.
Since well before the fixture was announced last December, the Ageas Bowl’s Head Groundsman Nigel Gray has been making regular visits to inspect the playing surface and has been impressed.
The recent four days of cricket between Hampshire and Middlesex Second Elevens finished late on the final day after over 1,500 runs were scored on the same pitch. A challenge is now in prospect for County First Eleven bowlers - although assuming Stuart Broad is in the Nottinghamshire team, batsmen may find the going a bit tougher.
Excitement is building at the ground and the late Brian Gardener’s dream is about to come true. He invested £2million in the development of Newclose and on Monday his family will join a large crowd of cricket fans to see top professional cricketers back in action on the Isle of Wight for the first time since 1962.
In Newclose Cricket Ground’s tenth Anniversary season Hampshire will face Nottinghamshire’s best, including England Test star and fast bowler Stuart Broad.
The late Brian Gardener would have been immensely proud that the ground he developed was at last being graced by such high profile professional sportsmen.
During the two months of the ICC Cricket World Cup both teams will be unable to play home games at their respective Test Match grounds at The Ageas Bowl and Trent Bridge, both of which are fully committed to World Cup international matches.
In the case of Hampshire that means the best alternative venue is Newclose [Isle of Wight] situated one mile south of Newport on Blackwater Road, PO30 3BE.
Both Newclose and Hampshire are confident that the four day match from 20-23 May will be a great success for the players, officials and spectators and that confidence is reflected in a four year staging agreement for County Cricket at Newclose extending to the 2022 season.
This puts significant pressure on the host venue’s ability to create pitches and outfields that can replicate the qualities of the Test Match and County Grounds.
Groundsman luxury
Outgrounds’ have to be able to reassure the County Clubs and the England & Wales Cricket Board that a four day match will go the distance. There have been some notable instances of grounds where under-prepared pitches have given bowlers an undue advantage over batsmen to such a degree that what should have been a four day match finishes early on the third day - to the proverbial crowd of ‘one man and a dog’!
For the full decade since the ground opened in 2009, Newclose has enjoyed the luxury of having had the same Head Groundsman, Andy Butler. Whilst Andy is assisted by volunteers who mow the outfield, the ‘square’ and 22 yard pitches have always had the benefit of quality preparation by a gifted and professional man in charge.
Since well before the fixture was announced last December, the Ageas Bowl’s Head Groundsman Nigel Gray has been making regular visits to inspect the playing surface and has been impressed.
The recent four days of cricket between Hampshire and Middlesex Second Elevens finished late on the final day after over 1,500 runs were scored on the same pitch. A challenge is now in prospect for County First Eleven bowlers - although assuming Stuart Broad is in the Nottinghamshire team, batsmen may find the going a bit tougher.
Excitement is building at the ground and the late Brian Gardener’s dream is about to come true. He invested £2million in the development of Newclose and on Monday his family will join a large crowd of cricket fans to see top professional cricketers back in action on the Isle of Wight for the first time since 1962.