Tufted synthetic turf cricket surfaces are nearly twice as durable as woven ones, according to new independent analysis based on the British Standard test used by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
Notts Sport, the world’s leading supplier of non-turf cricket pitches, has long been confident that its hard-wearing tufted surfaces are a cut above outdated woven manufactured pitches – and now has the independent evidence to prove it.
In research carried out by sports surface and equipment testing specialist Labosport, the two surfaces used on Notts Sport’s leading ECB-approved cricket systems – the premium NottsGrass NG12 carpet and its lower-cost alternative NottsGrass NG7 – were subjected to rigorous abrasion testing alongside a woven surface.
The research was based on the British Standard test for ‘Abrasion resistance of non-filled surfaces’ (BS EN 13672), which is used by the ECB in its own TS6 testing for non-turf cricket surfaces. In this case, however, the test was continued for a prolonged period to find out how the respective surfaces would stand up to sustained use over a greater length of time.
At the end of the test, the woven surface had a percentage mass loss of 14.985% of its original weight – nearly twice as much as was lost by both Notts Sport’s NG12 surface (7.914%) and NG7 (8.144%).
The results provide a compelling case for choosing a tufted artificial cricket pitch over a woven surface every time.
Notts Sport Chairman Shaun Patrick said: “At Notts Sport, we’ve been installing tufted cricket pitches for 14 years and in all that time we’ve never been called out to repair any of them or asked to send out any patch repair kits, so we already knew how durable these surfaces are.
“The results of this independent and very thorough testing process prove what we have firmly believed all along – that old-fashioned woven surfaces simply can’t compete with the tremendous durability of a high-calibre tufted pitch.
“Unlike other industry tests which have been publicised recently, Labosport’s analysis has been carried out in accordance with the ECB’s preferred testing methods, and our NG7 and NG12 products were also tested in comparison to one of the higher priced woven surfaces, which we felt would give a much fairer and more accurate result than comparing a top-of-the-range product with a lower-budget surface.
“Our customers around the world already know about the fantastic benefits of choosing one of our exclusive tufted systems – and now we hope this new research will reinforce our belief that they really are the best in the business.
“Our NottsGrass surfaces offer long lifespans due to their fibre strength, content and density. They have a strengthened backing for added durability and resistance to misuse, are engineered to support spin bowling, and provide an excellent grip underfoot, even in wet conditions. You can really feel the difference when compared to a woven product, and we’d encourage customers to always check they are not receiving an inferior surface that will need repair or replacement sooner than expected.”
The ECB TS6 document covers ‘Performance standards for non-turf cricket pitches intended for outdoor use’ and its test involves a specially-designed machine with abrasive wheels being applied to the surface. This simulates the effect of continuous use on the pitch with non-spiked footwear, as spiked footwear is not recommended for non-turf surfaces.
During the research carried out by Labosport, this test was continued to 5,000 revolutions and then 11,000 revolutions and on both occasions, the NG7 and NG12 surfaces exhibited considerably less wear than the woven surface. Final results were based on the average weight-loss figures of four samples of each of the three materials.
After 5,000 revolutions, the woven surface had lost an average of 5.475% of its overall weight compared to 2.258% for NG12 and 2.157% for NG7. After 11,000 revolutions, an average of 14.985% had been lost from the woven surface compared to 7.914% for NG12 and 8.144% for NG7. Both sets of results clearly demonstrate that over time the tufted surface will last almost twice as long as a woven one.
The summary of the Labosport analysis concludes: “After 5,000 cycles NG12 had a weight loss percentage of 2.258, NG7 had a weight loss percentage of 2.157 and Wilton Weave had a higher loss percentage of 5.476.
“Following the extended wear testing to a total of 11,000 cycles, NG12 and NG7 continued to have similar weight loss with much better performance than the Wilton Weave.”
Notts Sport offers a larger range of ECB-approved artificial turf cricket systems than any other synthetic surfacing supplier.
The tufted carpets are used as the surfacing component of Notts Sport’s unique NottsBase D Systems and Envelope Systems, which offer the choice of narrowing pace and bounce performance characteristics to suit less experienced players, or providing a wider range of characteristics to imitate the best playing conditions of a well-maintained grass pitch.
Customers choosing a Notts Sport surface benefit from a ten-year warranty, with a typical life expectancy of 12 years of more.
Notts Sport’s Design & Advisory Service sets its surfacing solutions even further apart from other artificial pitch providers, by creating tailor-made facilities in line with individual requirements.
The components of Notts Sport’s cricket pitch systems can be selected to suit client needs, while truly bespoke systems can also be designed to fine-tune pitch characteristics to agreed pace, performance, maintenance and lifespan criteria to suit the intended user group.
Notts Sport offers free condition checks for any existing artificial turf cricket facilities and its first-rate systems can be designed as pitch refurbishments or new installations.
Further details are available at www.tuftedorwoven.co.uk, and a link to the full report from Labosport can be found here www.tuftedorwoven.co.uk/cricketsurfaces/laboratory-reports.html