NGB UPDATE: ECB

GROWING THE CPA NETWORK

Without the volunteers who help prepare pitches at grassroots level, there would be no community cricket. We find out how the GMA is working with the ECB to offer them support

Cricket at all levels benefits from well-maintained playing surfaces Inset: The ECB and GMA are training up a growing number of CPAs

As we learn to live with COVID-19 and following two interrupted seasons, grassroots cricket clubs across the country are welcoming England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and GMA support as they prepare for what we all hope will be a fun and memorable summer of cricket.

This support includes the training of a growing number of County Pitch Advisors (CPAs) – a network of predominantly volunteer specialists who work with the County Cricket Boards to provide essential advice on grounds management and improving pitches and outfi elds in the recreational game.

CPA TRAINING

Working with the GMA’s Pitch Advisory Service (PAS) cricket team, which is funded by Sport England and the Football

ALAMY

Foundation, the ECB/PAS has already trained up 25 new CPAs (growing the network by 47 per cent). The first stage of CPA training was the enrolment and completion of the GMA Level 2 and 3 online training courses, which were followed by two face-to-face GMA/ ECB training days delivered at Karmand Community Centre in Bradford and at Uxbridge Cricket Club, which covered the CPA role in supporting local clubs, leagues and schools.

Three CPA seminars have also been delivered. The first at Edgbaston in November 2021 was followed by two regional seminars in Bradford and Reading in March 2022. These offered an engagement opportunity with the CPA network by offering updates and an opportunity to gather feedback on the future of the network. They also gave the CPAs an introduction to the PitchPower app.

GROWING THE GAME

ECB head of facilities services Dr Iain James says: “Growing cricket to more people is central to all of the ECB’s ambitions.”

He adds: “We must also increase the number of people who can prepare the pitches to play on. It’s vitally important that we provide support for those people who prepare pitches and grounds because, quite simply, without them the game does not happen.”

Iain explains: “The role of a grounds manager, whether they’re employed or a volunteer at a local club, is fundamental to the game. We all know someone who puts in countless hours to prepare their local club pitch, and our partnership with the GMA enables us to provide them with support through training, educational days, online courses and grounds manager events.

“Crucially, the partnership has developed multiple ways to reach the cricket network and provide more people with the opportunity to get involved and become equipped with the skills to prepare pitches.”

He concludes: “The GMA’s expertise means we can do that. We are able to equip grounds managers up and down the country with the techniques to improve playing facilities, which will only help to benefit the game.”

The GMA delivers a performance quality standard session to CPAs

IT’S VITALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO PREPARE PITCHES AND GROUNDS BECAUSE, QUITE SIMPLY, WITHOUT THEM THE GAME DOES NOT HAPPEN

A demonstration of cricket square line marking

The CPA network’s ambition

The CPA network has been established for more than 20 years and was set up to offer technical support to volunteer grounds staff within the recreational game, working closely with the County Cricket Boards.

The recreational game covers a variety of levels/standards ranging from the Premier League through to village green cricket. All levels are important to the development of cricket and providing quality surfaces to all players will ensure the continued enjoyment of the game, which is vital in the development of cricket at all levels.

PitchPower

Scheduled for launch in June this year, PitchPower will be a multi-sport app for grounds managers that will help them to access benchmarking tools and advice on improving their pitches and outfields. A basic version will be accessible to all clubs and grounds managers, and the CPAs will get a Pro version to support their work.

The PitchPower app will also help the GMA’s facilities team to build data on the quality of cricket grounds, and its interventions to help clubs, local authorities and schools to improve their pitches.

This app enables the user to perform a pitch inspection and share details, in digital format, with the GMA’s Pitch Advisory Service team, who assess the data and produce a report on the quality of the ground and recommendations on how to improve it.

It will provide essential support to the volunteers and employed grounds managers who will help to make the game happen this season.