The Dennis
G34D cylinder mower is helping to provide a fantastic finish on the pitch at
the Emirates Riverside Stadium according to Durham CCC head groundsman Vic
Demain.
This year
has been particularly testing for Vic and his team especially with the
pressures that come with hosting games for the Official ICC Cricket World Cup
2019. However, Vic alongside his team of four, rose to the challenge and
received a number of plaudits along the way.
“We had
three World Cup matches, but in addition to that we had approximately twenty
days of World Cup practice sessions. At the end of the day we are competing
against other international cricket venues such Lords, the Oval, Trent Bridge,
Headingley and Old Trafford.
When the
World Cup is on TV, viewers might see a game at Lords one day and then the next
day they will watch a game here at Durham. That’s a lot to live up to
especially with the game being viewed by a global audience.
“The
feedback we had about the pitch off the back of the World Cup was absolutely
amazing and that was from people all over the world. We have to be realistic in
the sense that we don’t have the same kind of budget as most of the other
venues, so to be able to achieve what we did with the resources that we have,
really meant a lot to me.”
For that
all important, presentation Vic relies on the Dennis G34D which has been
designed and built following the same concept as the popular Dennis G860
cylinder mower. Available in three different cutting sizes – 26”, 30” and 34” –
the mowers incorporate a large-diameter eight bladed cutting cylinder to cater
for a wide range of uses to leave a precision cut. The handlebar design makes
manoeuvring easy and the wide adjustment makes it comfortable for all cutting
heights.
“The G34D
is a designated mower for cutting the squares and we probably cut them anywhere
between once a week and fifteen times a week - depending on what presentation
we need. Obviously, the more cuts the better the definition and the better it
looks on television. The G34D offers superior presentation – it’s always a
picture-perfect cut.
“There are
other mowers on the market and we did try a variety. However, as a grounds team
we talk as a collective unit when it comes to new equipment. It was a unanimous
decision to go with the G34D.
“The staff at Dennis are very amenable, have fantastic
industry knowledge and the spare parts are easy to get hold of. If I build up a
working relationship with someone and that relationship goes well, I will tend to stick with
them. I have always put my trust in Dennis.”
