Question and Answer : Pitches    Q: A few years ago I took over
my local Club to stop it folding. Having never prepared a wicket
before it was quite an initiation! I can now prepare a decent
wicket, but I am having problems with bounce. Having just rolled
the pitch there is a very obvious sponginess on the top when
pressed, this is taking the pace off the ball and I need to find
out how to remedy this. It would appear just to be the top cm or
so. Is there any advice that you could give me?  A: This
characteristic is almost certainly down to thatch – a build up
over time of dead organic matter on the surface which acts as a
shock absorber to the impact of the ball. Pitches with this
condition generally play better with a little moisture in the
surface, still low and slow but even performance rating, as to
when really dry the ball can often “bite” into the top with the
resultant indifferent bounce/turn.  Unfortunately the only
feasible time of the year to attempt to rectify this problem is
autumn post-season. T