Wrong type of weed killer destroys cricket wicket

THE wicket at Henley Cricket Club looks more like one found in the “West Indies” after the wrong type of weed killer was applied to the square.

The reigning Home Counties Premier League champions sit top of the league by one point but chairman Brian Kenworthy insists the blunder wouldn’t affect their final three home games.

But a large area of the Brakspear ground, off Matson Drive, has now turned brown after groundsman Tony King’s error last week.

Mr Kenworthy told the Henley Standard: “There’s an issue with the grass due to the application of the wrong weed killer. A small number of weeds had appeared on the square and they were treated but unfortunately the groundsman used the wrong weed killer by mistake.

“I think it was simply an innocent mistake of picking up the wrong container but it’s pretty much the whole square so what it does is turn the grass brown. When you look at the wicket now it looks more akin to the kind of wicket you would see in the West Indies so Barbados has come to Henley.”

Henley scored 274 runs in their game against Slough on Saturday with their opponents achieving 141 runs for five wickets at the close of play to secure a draw.

Mr Kenworthy says the club had taken professional advice and added: “I wouldn’t say there’s a risk of making the ground unplayable. The wicket was definitely playable and more than 400 runs were scored. There’s a ground advisor in the Thames Valley league and he’s given us advice on what to do with it.

“Whilst it won’t look as pretty it hopefully should play okay. As long as we follow the advice we’ve been given hopefully it will play fine for the remaining games.”

Henley face Banbury, Burnham and High Wycombe in their last three home games.

Mr Kenworthy said Mr King felt “very bad” about the incident and the club was working with him to minimise the effect. The area was re-seeded last week and Mr King was “working hard” to rectify the problem.

They should use Hydroponic .

coverpoint ,

who are these people and where on earth are these venues ?

my first comment was tongue in cheek based on different types of weed  ::LOL::

Chin babe , we have an old proverb in Guyana that apply to you ,very well :

"It is better to keep quiet and let people think you are stupid

than to open it , and remove all doubt "