New Zealand Cricket is pleased to announce the winners of the 2011 Distinguished Services Award for Cricket Turf Management.
This year’s recipients are Ces Renwick from Auckland and Peter Domigan from the Queenstown Event Centre have been recognised for their outstanding contribution to turf management over a long period of time.
NZC Turf Manager Ian Mckendry said the award is due recognition for the important role turf managers play in preparing surfaces for the cricket community.
“A lot of work goes in behind the scenes to ensure grounds and pitches are of a high standard and it is pleasing to be able to celebrate their success,” said Mckendry.
“Their skill and dedication plays an important role in the development of the next generation of White Ferns and BLACKCAPS.
“Ces and Peter have been great servants over many years and richly deserve the accolade.”
The awards were presented at the bi-annual NZ Turf and Recreation Conference in Hamilton last night. This event hosted up to 500 sports turf and recreation managers from across New Zealand
NZC would sincerely like to thank Ces and Peter for their contributions to the grassroots and professional cricket.
Ces Renwick : Auckland Cricket
Ces Renwick has provided outstanding service to the game of cricket, the turf management industry and the wider community of Auckland in many capacities throughout most of his adult life. An outline of his services to cricket and the turf management industry is hereunder:
- Joined the Ponsonby/Balmoral Cricket Club in 1946 while still in his teens and served that young club in many capacities.
- 1946: began his interest in sports fields management and turf cricket pitches by assisting the head groundsman at Eden Park
- Mid 1950’s when the Ponsonby /Balmoral Cricket Club moved to Cornwall Park and changed its name to Cornwall Cricket Club, Ces was entrusted with leading a team which had the responsibility of developing the ground, the pitches and outfield from a rough paddock. This development took approximately 3 years and for the next 30 years until 1990, Ces was volunteer groundsman at the club spending countless hours during the week and also weekends working on cricket pitch preparation and ground maintenance, in the interests of the club and the wider cricket community of Auckland.
- While doing the work on the grounds he still managed to find the time to play cricket until well in to his forties including 20 years for the Cornwall Club in the Auckland Cricket Premier Grade competition. He also served on the Cornwall Club Management Committee for many years and is a Life Member of that club
- 1960 – 1990: Ces was involved with successive groundsmen at Eden Park, New Zealand’s Premier International Sports Stadium, in both a consultative and in many cases a hands-on capacity, in the preparation of cricket pitches and the outfield for both domestic and international cricket in Auckland.
- He has worked with the various City Councils and schools in the greater Auckland area over the past 30 years in developing grounds for cricket, in many cases, in a hands-on capacity. This work has benefited the wider community of Auckland not just cricketers. This advice and assistance is ongoing although his involvement is physical work is now more restricted due to his age. Ces has been influential in the introduction of artificial wickets in council and school grounds.
- In 1971 he organised and presented the first ground seminar in Auckland aimed at educating all those involved in the turf industry on cricket pitch preparation and sports field maintenance. These seminars were an annual event for more than 30 years. Contractors, School Groundsmen and Council parks staff throughout Auckland as well as Northland and the Waikato, Bay of Plenty regions have all benefited from his advice and practical help. He has authored a manual on cricket ground and pitch preparation which is widely used among practising groundsmen
- Ces organised the first youth (under 18) cricket tournament in Auckland and for many years Airest Industries, his own business, was the sponsor of this annual tournament involving teams from all the cricket clubs throughout Auckland. The name Airest was synonymous with youth cricket in Auckland during that period.
Peter Domigan: Queenstown Event Centre
Peter has been involved in cricket ground preparation at first class and International level for over 20 years
Peter started at Molyneux Park Alexandra in the early 1990s and soon turned the pitch into one of the best cricket pitches in the country with a reputation for fast pace and good bounce and carry.
Peter moved to Queenstown Event Centre in early 2000’s taking up the role of turf manager. He soon developed the Queenstown Event Centre ground into an International standard venue and like the standards Peter attained at Molyneux Park he produced quality cricket surfaces. The pitches at the pictorial ground are often rated as one of the best in the world by many players
Peter has also given his time selflessly to the Otago region turf industry over the last 20 years having been active by assisting to train many of our young curators through the turf management program at the Otago Polytechnic.
