Ireland and Scotland to attend first-ever curator workshop in Dubai
The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced the details of the first-ever curator workshop, to be held in Dubai on 11 and 12 April, covering a wide range of issues involved in pitch preparation.
The workshop will be attended by Ireland's Phillip McCormick from Stormont Cricket Ground and Scotland's Lee Spendlove from Grange CC. The head curators and turf managers of all the 10 Full Members and Canada, along with a representative from United Arab Emirates (UAE) will also be present.
ICC Pitches Consultant Andy Atkinson will lead the discussions during the workshop with the other curators sharing their experiences of pitch-making.
The workshop follows discussions at recent Chief Executives? Committee (CEC) meetings on the quality of pitches in use in international cricket. It is also a practical implementation of the ICC strategy to provide a world class environment for international cricket.
At its March 2012 meeting in Dubai, CEC noted a marked improvement in the quality of pitches that has led to exciting battles between bat and ball in Test match cricket. Only 10 per cent of Test matches in 2011 ended in a draw as compared to 38 per cent in 2010.
ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat, in supporting the workshop, said: ?Our ICC strategy recognizes the imperative to provide world class venues and no one can dispute that pitches are central to playing attractive cricket.
?Curators and groundsmen around the world deserve credit for preparing outstanding pitches which have produced thrilling Test match cricket in recent times.
?I expect this workshop to provide the right platform to share experiences and build skills as we seek to continuously improve and to provide world class environments.?
The following attendees will take part in the Curator Workshop:
AttendeeCountryDesignation
Cameron HodgkinsAustraliaHead Curator, MCG
Nuruzzaman NayanBangladeshAssistant Curator, BCB
Chris WoodEnglandECB Pitches Consultant
Venkat SundaramIndiaChairman Grounds and Pitches Committee, BCCI
Ian McKendryNew ZealandNZC Turf Manager
Agha ZahidPakistanPCB Chief Curator
Peter MuzzellSouth AfricaCSA Grounds Consultant
Asitha Sanjaya WijesingheSri LankaCurator, Pallekelle
Ken GraftonWest IndiesHead Curator, Beausejour Cricket Ground, St Lucia
Doug HigginsZimbabweZCU National Curator
Phillip McCormickIrelandStormont Cricket Ground Curator
Lee SpendloveScotlandGrange CC Curator
Guy MartinCanadaManager Horticuture & Turf with the City of Abbotsford
Tony HemmingUAEHead Curator, Dubai Cricket Stadium
Andy AtkinsonUKICC Pitches Consultant
Raman SubramaniamMalaysiaPresenter on Drainage
Clive HitchcockUKICC Cricket Operations Manager