No sticky wicket here
Source -
thisisnottingham.co.uk
Trent Bridge groundsman Steve Birks is confident the Trent Bridge wicket will help Twenty20 finals day be a hit with both players and fans.
But his team has not resorted to the craze of "gluing" pitches to make it a better batting track.
Instead, Birks has been busy using more traditional methods to ensure the strip is in shape.
He said: "It is a brand new relaid pitch and should provide some good cricket. It will be used for all three matches as the finals day is on Sky TV and they don't have time to move the cameras around.
"We started preparing it about two months ago using the normal methods. Hopefully it will prove to be a great batting wicket and prove to be just right for the Twenty20 game."
Birks still remains cautious about the gluing techniques being used.
A number of counties have resorted to spraying PVA glue on one-day pitches in an effort to produce the perfect batting strip.
The glue is sprayed on to the entire pitch. The surface dries hard within two hours, giving the wicket a glaze and turning it grey.
Birks said: "I would like to see more research into it first before bombing ahead with it like some other clubs have.
"We still do not know the long-term problems it can cause.
"I have tried it in the nets at Notts and the players were happy with it and some said it was the best they had played on - but you don't know how much of that is psychological.
"I will just monitor it and at the end of the season there is a meeting at Lord's for everyone to talk about their findings from it and address issues from it. So I will just take it from there.
"But as for tomorrow we are ready. I think we have timed the preparation just right and hopefully we will get the weather as well."
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