In the world of cricket, the pitch is as crucial as the players. Behind every successful match lies the meticulous work of pitch curators - unsung heroes who prepare and maintain the playing surface. At Cricket ACT, we have a dedicated team of curators ensuring that the pitches at EPC Solar Park and Manuka Oval are in prime condition for every game.
We spoke to four of our esteemed pitch curators to understand their roles, challenges, and the passion that drives them.
- Tom Fahey - Head Curator
- Todd Darrington – Assistant Head Curator
- Harry Marshall – Lead Groundsperson
- Andrew Smith – Curator
- Jasper Haskins – Curator
“We have got a pretty good group here, there is five of us; we've got Tom up front, then Todd and myself and then the two apprentices Jasper and Andy. We are a pretty good crew, we get along pretty well which I think is pretty important in what we do.” Harry Marshall commented.
Preparing a cricket pitch is a delicate balance of agronomy, timing, weather forecasting, and intuition. The curators manage the fine line between pace and bounce, spin and skid, bat and ball. Their objective is to produce safe, fair, and competitive surfaces tailored for various levels of the game - from junior cricket to elite domestic and international fixtures.
“You have just got to be of high alert over everything else. Just monitoring, scanning weather forecasts and having plans in place when it does happen and what happens.” Todd Darrington stated.
“We are sort of at the hands of the gods” Marshall added.
The team starts well before sunrise. On game days, it’s all hands on deck.
“Rock up pretty early. On a game day, cut the ground, cut in a nice pattern for the game, roll the wickets, get the covers off, mark up the pitch, stumps in, yeah just ensuring that the ground’s all up to scratch before the big boys play on it.” Andrew (Andy) Smith explained his role on game days.
Cricket ACT manages a range of venues including Manuka Oval, EPC Solar Park, and several club grounds across the territory. Each surface requires a tailored approach. With some of our curators having the opportunity to work at many famous grounds around the world, such as Wimbledon and Lords, they are experienced in giving each individual pitch the care it needs.
“Obviously it is your workplace so it does lose that magic a little bit. But you care about it, you want to produce world class playing facilities. Once you step away from it you remember how beautiful it is and that tens of thousands and thousands of people love these places. I look back at the SCG and see the members stand and ladies stand and go 'wow', I actually worked here.” Head Curator Tom Fahey told Cricket ACT.
“Yeah, it is stressful in the middle but at the end of the day, a lot of people enjoy these facilities and obviously we’ve got high profile players playing on it and judging it. It is an ongoing challenge to please everyone.” He added.
Whether it’s a Big Bash match under lights or a Saturday Meteors or Comets game, the curation team is there before the players arrive and after the last wicket falls. Their passion is evident in every inch of turf, every bounce of the ball.
But how did our team land these roles?
Andy - “I worked in hospo for a while and then I saw this role pop up and thought I'll give it a crack and I’ve been in the job for 2 1/2 years now and absolutely loving it.”
Harry - “I didn't really know what I wanted to do when I was growing up. I would have been about 14 when I sort of started getting interested in it. It probably all started when I was playing cricket; I just looked at the ground and was like I don’t really know how this works. That’s kind of cool.”
Todd - “I am a little bit off centre to everyone else. I was lucky enough to be born and grown up on a turf farm back home in Leeton NSW. I have been around the industry in a pram since I was a kid on a turf farm. “
Tom - “I fell into it, but I love sports, so I knew. I actually started a golf course in Melbourne and then I sort of decided that I didn't really like golf that much, but I loved cricket and AFL, so I moved to a school and spend my last years of my apprenticeship there and then it just sort of flourish from there.”
Want to get involved? Here is what the expert curators at Cricket ACT suggest:
“It is a trade that a lot of people don’t know about so, giving people more knowledge about it because there is a science to it. We are a pretty small knit group but they are all very passionate about what they do. Its just getting in that environment and enjoying it. You learn the trade, and it is pretty rewarding at the end of the day.” – Tom Fahey
“Have a go. Take the risks. I definitely wasn’t the best in my TAFE class or anything like that, or talented. Its just about putting yourself out there. Don’t be scared of failing. Lean on the right people and networking is one of the most important things. If you want to have a crack and put in the hard work and you’re a good person, you will go a long way.” – Todd Darrington
The next time you watch a match at EPC Solar Park or Manuka Oval, take a moment to appreciate the hard work of the curators. Their dedication ensures that every game is played on a surface that challenges and excites players and fans.