CRICKET
Karen Rolton Oval
drops in Following its redevelopment in 2017, Karen Rolton Oval in Adelaide has become one of South Australian cricket’s principal first-class venues. Ahead of the 2023/2024 season, two drop-in wickets were installed in the middle of the ground’s conventional wicket table to assist getting early season pitches up under increasing usage pressures. ATM editor Brett Robinson catches up with SACA grounds manager Trent Kelly to see how the
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ports turf managers are, by nature, problem-solvers. Generally, there isn’t a day goes by without something requiring their ability to come up with a solution to a problem that has arisen, whether it’s on a golf course, sportsground, racetrack or bowling green. Some are quick fixes – a sprinkler malfunction for example – while others may require a little more consideration – a disease outbreak for instance or an area of turf which might be underperforming. Then 8
experiment has fared after its first season. there those which require a complete rethink and change of approach, setting in motion a flurry of activity involving multiple parties and resources which all have to come together to rectify a developing situation. A few seasons ago, Trent Kelly, grounds manager at the South Australian Cricket Association’s (SACA) Karen Rolton Oval in Adelaide, was facing the latter scenario. On the back of increasing usage pressures, brought about in part by the COVID pandemic which saw the ground become a primary venue for
AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.3
a number of domestic cricket competitions, Kelly and his team were struggling to get good quality early season wickets up. Compounding matters, the wickets were often the subject of growing criticism from players and coaches. Those who know Kelly well will appreciate he is not the sort of guy who sits on his hands. He likes things to move at pace and with purpose, which is rather apt considering he spent a number of years as a fast bowler representing both South Australia and Western Australia at Sheffield Shield level. If there’s a