Trent Bridge pitch master Birks to pull up stumps

Steve Birks, a head groundskeeper for Nottinghamshire, will retire in January after a 28-year career at Trent Bridge.

Some of the most memorable moments in recent English cricket history were provided by Birks, who previously spent 18 years at Derbyshire.

England’s men twice broke the world record for ground-based ODI scores, scoring 444 against Pakistan in 2016 and 481 against Australia two years later, breaking the record.

England’s Bazball revolution started at Trent Bridge when the Test team defeated New Zealand in 2022 in a 77-ball victory over the Test team at 299 in just 50 overs.

In addition to his two List A trophies and two T20 victories, he also won three County Championships while playing for the club.

Birks described the club’s website as “absolutely delightful” for the past 28 years.

“I had no idea how successful we would become as a team and how many trophies we would eventually win,” said Trent Bridge employee.

I want to thank everyone who has helped me through the years for making it such a pleasant experience.

Birks has won numerous awards at the ECB’s Grounds Manager of the Year, including the overall award in 2017.

At Trent Bridge, Nottinghamshire’s cricket director, Mick Newell, paid tribute to Birks’ contribution.

Steve’s dedication to this organization was unmatched, Newell said.

He consistently delivers engaging cricket for supporters on the kinds of surfaces that players enjoy using.

“On a personal note, I’ve really enjoyed working with Steve, who has worked incredibly hard to help us win trophies over a long period of time.

He’ll be “in many ways irreplaceable,” but he’ll leave behind a capable ground staff that will carry on his work.