October 2024
CATCHING UP WITH – Jared Carter
The start of spring is an ideal time in our “Catching up With” series to chat with the man who directs the ground operations at the Bay Oval. Jared Carter was first appointed as the Bay Oval Turf Manager in August 2010, when games were played from the shelter of temporary marquees, some three and a half years before the first stage of the pavilion was officially opened.
Over the last fourteen years, the Bay Oval has been transformed from a former wasteland into one of the best international cricket venues in the world. Jared leads a team of dedicated staff, who not only oversees the superb surface of the international ground, but also operate and manage one of the few permanent indoor grass training venues in the world.
Tell us about the ground activities over the winter break in play?
As soon as the season finishes, we have two months to carry out the renovations before it becomes too cold for any grass growth. This includes taking the top off all the blocks, laser levelling and sowing them out. We also renovated the outfield to ensure our infiltration rates are as high as possible. We had the Blackcaps, Whiteferns and NZA players come in and train many times throughout the winter on the grass practice pitches in the greenhouse, which was a lot of fun as all the teams were scheduled to tour the sub-continent, so replicating the dry and variable pitches that turn significantly was a challenge we enjoyed
Where are you at the moment with your new season preparations?
We are preparing for our first match on the 23rd October with Auckland bringing three of their home games down to us due to concerts at Eden Park. A cold spring so far, has meant that grass is still growing slowly but the preparation is going well so far.
What challenges does spring bring to your preparations?
Wind is probably the biggest challenge. It causes big temperature fluctuations so it’s just a matter of waiting patiently for the grass to really start growing, plus once we start covering for the games, the wind can create all sorts of havoc trying to put them on.
Are there spring training camps scheduled?
Yes, ND have had two weeks with us in September and early October
Tell us about the challenges of managing the indoor grass training facilities?
While the indoor nets provide some small challenges in terms of growing grass in a more humid environment without the normal amount of natural sunlight, we tend to focus more on the opportunities that it provides us to improve our techniques. When preparing multiple pitches at a time, we get to trial so many different techniques to improve what we do all year round. Plus we get to do some pretty cool stuff, that we wouldn’t normally get to do, like providing the sub-continent conditions before our teams go on tour.
When do you have to have the first wickets available for play this season?
The pitches are ready to go now. So we are just waiting patiently for the season to start.
Looking back at last season what was the biggest highlight for you?
The Test Match is usually the biggest highlight. The extra scrutiny around a Test can be quite daunting, but also a great opportunity to learn and develop.
What posed the biggest headache for you last season?
The issues created by covering the field in ryegrass for the FIFA Women’s World Cup training venue. Converting the field back into couch following the event was interesting, plus small things like fertilising the cricket block through winter created a thin layer of scum on the pitches that was difficult to get rid off in time for play.
What gives you the biggest satisfaction in your work?
Developing and preparing something that brings in the spectators to enjoy our facility, and that the community can feel proud of. The ability to have a lot of community cricket on the ground also is something very satisfying.
Are there any further big projects on the horizon at the Bay Oval?
Once the pavilion is finished, then work over the next couple of years around landscaping will be the priority.