Players in the Norfolk cricket scene are used to seeing Sheringham first team bowler Chris Moy taking regular wickets.
But what they do not see is the work that goes on behind the scenes by the fast bowler during the week before The Lobsters’ teams take to the field.
Chris has now been the groundsman at Weybourne Road for 10 years, averaging four to five hours of graft on the wicket every week.
But as Chris explained the job was not exactly something he sought after.
“There was no one else to do it. I had the intention of doing it for one season and 10 years later here we still are,” the bowler shrugged.
This season, Chris has been offered a helping hand by experienced groundsman John Hodges who previously prepared all the pitches at Wollaston Cricket Club in Northamptonshire for 39 consecutive seasons.
“John has taught me a couple of tricks of the trade,” Chris said.
“It’s very much trial and error. You kind of realise what works and what does not after a while of preparing pitches.
“It is all very dependent on the weather conditions. That makes it hard to do the same thing over and over again.
"You do have to fit it around your day-to-day life.”
Sheringham’s second team had first go on the home wicket this season but were comprehensively beaten by a strong North Elmham side in Division Three West of the Norfolk Cricket League on Saturday, April 30.
Meanwhile, Chris and the first team got off to the perfect start following promotion to Division Two of the Norfolk Cricket Alliance.
The team successfully defended a total of 186 against Great Melton following a decisive fifth wicket partnership by Will Moy and Tom Sheridan, who both brought up their half centuries.
Spin bowler David King then claimed six wickets as Sheringham bowled out their opponents for 122.
Chris said: “It is always nice to start with a win and build a bit of momentum.
“We had not played Great Melton for quite a few years and they finished mid-table last season so we did not really know what to expect.”
That momentum continued the following week with an 80-run home win over a Topcroft side who had just been relegated from the previous season while Sheringham had moved up a division.
Another half century for Tom Sheridan then four wickets for skipper James Moy, and three apiece for Chris and Billy Yarham ensured the solid start to the season continued.
Captain George Collyer’s second team also recorded their first league win of the season as they hammered Rocklands by 149 runs in a real team performance full of contributions from several players.
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