If you are feeling cheesed off with the weather of late then spare a thought for those responsible for looking after our cricket grounds.

Of all sports played on turf, cricket is arguably the most dependent on weather. Fine conditions are not only necessary during the match, but there also needs to be good drying conditions in the days, or even weeks, leading up to a match. The summer of 2001/02 has so far been one of the wettest and least sunny on record, and the skills (and patience) of our Turf Managers have been pushed to the limit.

Even at the best of times cricket Turf Managers have a very narrow "window of opportunity" in which to carry out pitch preparation. If it rains throughout the preparation period there is often little that can be done, other than cover the pitch and make the most of any fine weather.

However, using covers for an extended period can create its own problems. Lack of light, high temperature and high humidity below flat covers will inevitably cause the turf to be weakened, if not completely killed.

So where does this leave the Turf Manager?

By not covering they run the risk of having a pitch that is too wet and soft; by covering they can damage the turf!

A key goal for cricket (administrators and Turf Managers alike) over the next decade is inevitably going to be risk management, and in particular developing systems that minimise weather interference. Of course, there is only so much that can be done to control Mother Nature.

What can be done to reduce weather interference?

Ideally, we could construct fully-enclosed stadiums, which will ensure the match/event will take place regardless of weather conditions. Colonial Stadium in Melbourne has led the way in having international cricket matches played under a roof.

Of course, the reality is that fully-enclosed cricket arenas will remain unaffordable in all but a few cases, and the best that can be hoped for is to develop systems which protect the playing in the lead-up to a match and which will enable play to start as quickly as possible after rain abates.

An example of what can be done is being demonstrated by Trevor Jackson, Turf Manager at the WestpacTrust Stadium and Basin Reserve in Wellington.

Trevor has had to contend with weeks of wet weather, which has left the Basin Reserve, venue for the Boxing Day Test match, waterlogged. With only days left before the match. Trevor has decided to erect a large marquee over the wicket block and to hire commercial drying equipment to help get the Test strip ready for the match.

The NZ Sports Turf Institute believes that we can expect to see more being made of innovation and sophisticated raised cover systems in the years ahead. Some of our top grounds may even look to add on climatic control technologies, such as artificial lighting and heating systems. Such systems could enable the Turf Manager to prepare a quality pitch under cover, even if it is pouring outside.

There are other risk management strategies that need to be considered at our major grounds, to ensure weather effects are minimised. For example, it is still common to hear of cases where run-off from the wicket block and covers has created problems in the outfield, bowlers' run-ups or adjacent, used pitches.

Strategies such as directly discharging surplus water from covers into a sub-surface drain system, or using devices such as the "Super Soper", can help minimise the risk of hold-ups.

The Institute also believes it is inevitable that our top multi-use venues will move to portable pitches. We have a couple of examples of portable pitch systems, at Jade Stadium and Eden Park, and we can expect to see new and improved systems in the years ahead. A portable pitch approach is debatably the only way that cricket can co-exist with football and other such activities at our major multi-use grounds.

Despite the above ideas, the fact remains that the majority of cricket grounds must get by with limited resources. It is indeed a testimony to the skills and commitment of or leading Turf Managers that we are producing some excellent pitches, despite the adverse weather conditions.

Very few players and members of the general public would have any idea of the effort and skill that is needed to produce a quality cricket pitch, and how much depends on the weather. They are also unlikely to be aware of the stresses that Turf Managers at our leading grounds are under when the weather is unkind, as at present.

So if the rain is getting you down, then please spare a thought for those who are battling the odds to get pitches ready for our "summer" of cricket.

© CricInfo