Hagley Oval Turf Manager Back To His Roots For ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022

Rupert Bool got his start in turf management as a youngster at Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln when the same event was held in Ōtautahi Christchurch in 2000 – nearly 22 years ago. New Zealand beat Australia in the final by four runs.

“I can still remember the final actually, running out onto the field afterwards – it was awesome,” Bool said.

He was inspired to pursue turf management as a career, and began a three-year apprenticeship with New Zealand Cricket straight off the back of the 2000 Women’s Cricket World Cup. He moved back to Christchurch from Hamilton to help with the build of Hagley Oval in 2012 and has been in charge since.

“I’ve been involved in a number of ICC tournaments. The under-19 tournament a few times, and the men’s World Cup when it came to Christchurch in 2015. Now to have this one coming is pretty awesome,” Bool said.

The ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 kicks off around the country on 4 March 2022, with matches in Ōtautahi Christchurch from 25 March, including the second semi-final on 31 March and the final on 3 April.

All Christchurch pool matches will be held at Hagley Oval, Bool’s cherished grounds, where he’ll be maintaining a pitch designed equally for batsman and bowler. Hesitant to steal all the limelight, he said his team of four full time groundsmen all shared the glory in getting the oval looking and playing its best.

“There are expectations on the pitch and the outfield, especially for an ICC tournament, that they’ll perform in a certain way,” he said.

“When you look around the world, where the finals have been held previously – you know, you’ve got the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Lords, among others – it’s a massive deal for us and for the city.

“Obviously closer to the time there’ll be the nerves to get everything right, but we trust the systems we’ve produced over the last eight years or so to make quality surfaces.”

Hagley Oval regularly picks up awards at the NZ Cricket Pitch of the Year Awards, named International Pitch of the Year for the 2018/19 season, and the Domestic Short Format Pitch of the Year for the 2019-20 season.

Bool was “stoked” the women’s game was getting more interest and attention, “especially in the last five years”.

“You get a really good contest from women’s cricket and the skill level is excellent,” he said.

“It’s going to be awesome to see the public turn out to see some of the best cricket in the world down at Hagley this summer.”