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SISIS key to cricket maintenance Merchant Taylors’ has purchased a range of SISIS equipment to help maintain the top class cricket facilities on offer at the prestigious school in Middlesex. To date there are currently 17 competitive teams throughout the school who enjoy playing the game across 12 grass cricket squares, indoor and outdoor (all weather) nets, grass nets, and 3 bowling machines. Such is the quality of the cricket facilities that Middlesex County Cricket Club train regularly at the school and use it as a pre-season training camp. “This only benefits the school because of our need to be at the top of our game,” said Grounds Manager Richard Ayling. “If you are going to host
these kind of top sportsmen you have to provide the very best surfaces for them. They wouldn’t come here unless they were right and that is, I believe, a reflection on the work carried out by my team.” Richard and his team of ten have exceptionally high standards. “I like to think that all of our sports surfaces are good but we are always striving for that bit more. I have a great Deputy in Scott Patterson who was the former Head Groundsman at the Oval and he has really pushed the cricket on. As a result, Richard invested in a range of heavy duty SISIS scarifiers – two self-propelled Auto Rotorake MK.5s and a tractor mounted Rotorake TM1000. The SISIS Rotorake TM1000
is a tractor mounted heavy duty scarifier and linear aerator and is un-rivalled when it comes to removing and controlling thatch. “The TM1000 is predominantly our main cricket scarifier and the ability to change blades is very convenient. The TM1000 serves us incredibly well.” Over recent years Richard has been a big fan of the Auto Rotorake MK.5 and the two new machines were brought in as direct replacements for two older machines. Its contra-rotating reel has specially designed tipped blades for clean, consistent cut and maximum thatch removal. Furthermore, the Auto Rotorake MK.5 features a selection of seven different interchangeable reels which enables the
machine to carry out a variety of maintenance tasks. “We use the Brush Reel, Scarifying Reel, VertiCutter Reel and we like the Spring Tine Reel. “The staff use the Auto Rotorake MK.5’s a lot – everyone has their own little quirks on how they like to do things and the Auto Rotorake MK.5 gives them the versatility to do so.”
Richard Ayling at Merchant Taylors’
Turf Matters | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018 | 15