
5 minute read
Young gun: Nick Pepper
AS A SCHOOLBOY Nick would accompany his father, a volunteer groundsman, to the local football ground to help him with things like line marking. “But I didn’t know then that I would have a career in the industry. After I gained my A Levels, it came down to a choice between following a path in oceanography or embarking on a two-year Foundation Degree in sports turf science at Myerscough College. While at college, a seasonal work placement came up at the Bristol County Ground (in 2017) and, a year later, a full-time role for the start of the 2018 season.
“I found the seasonal placement in Bristol really helpful. While learning about soil and plant science, and equipment mechanicals, is essential, of course, nothing beats practical experience and, at times, working under pressure to have the playing surfaces ready.”
At the 2019 GMA Industry Awards, Nick Pepper’s award was presented to his father, Nick senior, since Nick junior was in Australia where, in addition, to being part of the cricket tour to Valley District CC in Queensland, he spent time researching cricket pitch grass coverage and ball rotation, for example, as part of his dissertation for his online BSc Hons (via Myerscough College).
Nick senior’s volunteer groundscare career started with his local RTB Ebbw Vale FC ground in Ebbw Vale (in between his shifts as a fireman), south Wales (where Nick junior plays) and now with the Ebbw Vale CC where he also runs an indoor cricket school.
Nick’s experience at Bristol County Ground gave him practical experience of grounds preparation at a high level, building on his academic work at Myerscough College
NICK NETS A NEW JOB!
AS 21-YEAR-OLD Nick Pepper embarks on his new role at Warwickshire County Cricket Club – at the club’s Foundation ground in Birmingham, under the auspices of Warwickshire CCC’s head groundsman Gary Barwell – he can look back “on a highly enjoyable and very rewarding spell” at the Gloucestershire CCC’s Bristol County Ground where, as part of Sean Williams’ team, the pinnacle was winning the 2019 GMA Rigby Taylor/Top Green Young Grounds Person of the Year Award.
“Winning the award was fantastic, and being part of the team that prepared the nets and wickets for World Cup games undoubtedly played a large part in my success,” says Nick, “but my new role is equally as exciting. The Edgbaston Foundation Sports ground, currently home to Warwickshire women’s and girls’ teams, as well as the men’s second XI Championship squad, will this year host two one-day 50-over County games as the Edgbaston County Ground greets the arrival of ‘The 100’ matches*. The standard at the Foundation ground – which is scheduled to have new net screen/practice wickets – will naturally be very high and the maintenance of the new net block area is a large part of my role. I’m really looking forward to getting engrossed in producing top-class wickets at this famous ground where, for example, Rachel Heyhoe-Flint led England Women to a six-wicket victory over The Rest in 1975.”
Valuable experiences
Nick has joined Warwickshire CCC after two full years at Bristol (plus a previous term of seasonal work) and his experiences with head groundsman Sean Williams and the team has included a considerable amount of work on the net areas.
“Sean gave me a lot of responsibility; I showed that I was willing to learn and I’m very thankful that I’ve gained so much from him and his deputy Paul Collett. Gaining a vast amount of practical experience has enabled me to complete roles to a high level. This has included quite a bit of work preparing the net areas, including deciding the best locations for the two blocks as well as setting them out for World Cup games.”
Applying lessons
The Bristol County Ground not only accommodates Gloucestershire CCC games but also England one-day international matches to complement the County Championship series and one-day 50- and 20-overs competitions. Last year it also hosted three World Cup warm-up games and three World Cup matches.
“Understanding the characteristics of the surface and rootzone at Bristol has helped me to progress enormously, at both a personal and team level,” Nick continues. “And for the ICC Cricket World Cup, I played an integral role in producing several net pitches for the eight nations that played at the ground. Utilising the knowledge gained from my time at Myerscough College and from Sean and the team, I helped to produce net practice wickets that had to replicate the match conditions the players could expect.
“That meant, for example, selecting the best location on the square in terms of loam type, grass coverage, anticipated recovery time and tolerability to wear, and through strict irrigation, brushing,
Colin Hoskins
GMA award winner Nick Pepper’s willingness to learn – and an understanding of the characteristics of a playing surface and its rootzone – have been key to his progress
Editor
mowing and rolling, I was able to produce wickets that received high praise. I was obviously very pleased about that.”
Nick continues: “Of course, the weather dictates what happens and when, so it’s a balancing act to produce pitches and net areas that satisfy the demands of the players (and of the head groundsman). Importantly, much of what I did at Bristol was about understanding what the players wanted and needed – and sometimes [in terms of the nets] that meant leaving a bit more grass on.
“As part of the team at Bristol, I would also say that we were always confident in our pitches, preparing them to the highest levels and producing surfaces that were always fair to everyone. We all knew and understood the pressures of consistently delivering high-class wickets, squares and outfield – and I now want to transfer that outlook and those standards to Warwickshire’s Foundation ground.”
Nick adds that he believes that his role in cricket grounds care has been helped by his understanding and love of the sport. “I am a keen footballer (playing for Saturday and Sunday teams) as well as cricketer. I am also a youth coach (at two locations), so it was a hard decision to sacrifice much of my weekend sport [in season] when I joined Gloucestershire CCC on a full-time basis. But I’m so glad I did!”. ■
Want to know more from the GMA: www.thegma.org.uk/learning
Note: *These comments were made prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, so this year’s fixtures may be subject to change
