When Durham County Cricket Club’s 25-year-old SISIS Auto Rotorake needed upgrading, Head Groundsman Vic Demain didn’t have to look very far for a replacement.
“If you go into any cricket shed – from village level up to professional level, you will always see an orange piece of kit in there of some description,” said Vic. “The SISIS brand is just so well-known and trusted in the cricket grounds industry.”
As one of the most experienced groundsmen in cricket, Vic Demain certainly knows the secrets behind preparing a first-class cricket pitch. He joined Durham County Cricket Club in 2015 and has been working at the Emirates Riverside Stadium ever since.
Helping him to prepare for all the games, Vic has long relied on a range of SISIS equipment over the years, but conceded that it was about time for an upgrade.
“We had a trusty SISIS Auto Rotorake but it was over 25 years old, and it needed replacing,” he said. “We didn’t even look at anything else. It is a staple piece of equipment for cricket clubs and there is nothing else on the market to challenge it in my opinion.”
A popular choice, the Auto Rotorake MK5 is a self-propelled heavy duty scarifier for the removal and control of thatch on fine and other quality turf. However, a Rolaspike Reel, which can be used for surface aeration or to create a seed bed when overseeding; and a Spiral Brush Reel can also be fitted.
“It is a multi-purpose machine that can be used for different jobs, but we mainly use it as a brush,” said Vic.
“For early preparation we will use it for standing the grass up before we mow, to make sure we get a good cut. After a game it is great for sweeping the whole length of the pitch to remove any dust or debris. This basically gives the pitch a good clean before we move on to renovating the pitch to get it back into service.
“We’ve also got artificial nets, and it is used for cleaning those and is particularly beneficial for getting rid of winter moss.
“It is used frequently, at least once every couple of days, and the whole team can use it because it is very operator friendly.”
“Ultimately, it is the proven quality of all the SISIS products that stands out and that is why I have been using them constantly throughout my career.”
For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact SISIS on 01332 824 777 or visit www.sisis.com
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