Cricket is a sport that requires a well-manicured playing surface for optimal performance. The surface needs to be flat, even and closely cut, which is why the role of a good lawn mower is crucial for maintaining a cricket ground. Allett has been a leading name in the world of British cylinder mowers for over 50 years and our range of electric cylinder mowers are perfect for cricket clubs. In this blog, we will look at the Allett Stirling 51, Allett C27E, and Allett C34E, and how they can be the perfect mower choice for your club. Please note we also have a Stirling 43 which is a 17'' mower available.
Allett Stirling 51- almost a third of the price of our 27'' battery mower
The Allett Stirling was first released in November 2021 as a high end homeowner model aimed at homeowners who are taking their lawns to the next level. These homeowners are expert lawn enthusiasts who are generally using the same seed as top class football clubs and some of their lawns are as good as Twickenham and Wembley. Over the last year or so we have seen a growing trend of the Stirling being used in grassroots bowls and cricket clubs as a lower cost alternative to our Pro machines but still offering the same world class results. It has also been used by professional gardeners who's clients demand a high quality low cut striped lawn similar to Wimbledon. This mower will be perfect for both your wicket and square.The one thing we will say is that this mower will not last you as long as one of our professional mowers and if you have the budget you should be looking at our professional mowers.
The Stirling 51 is a high-performance electric cylinder mower that is perfect for grassroots cricket clubs. It features a 51cm (20'') cutting width, making it ideal for cutting a wicket and square. The Stirling 51 is powered by a 56v Ego battery which provides plenty of power to cut a wicket/square. There is a 5Ah, 7.5Ah, 10Ah and 12Ah battery available giving ample mowing time. The 5Ah battery will give approximately 40 minutes mowing time, the 10Ah approximately 80 minutes. Clubs may decide to go for the higher amp hour batteries to give them a longer mowing time especially if your pitches are a fair distance from your shed. There is always the option of getting a couple of batteries and charging one while you use the other giving you unlimited mowing time. There is the choice between a standard charger (50 mins charge time) or the rapid charger (approx. 30 minutes). Again- we suggest spending the extra few pounds on the rapid charger.
Our customers favourite feature on this mower is the Ultra-Change cartridge system which allows you to swap a cartridge within 15 seconds. We have a range of cartridges available for this mower perfect for cricket clubs. The mower has a six-blade cutting cylinder as standard however you will need the 10 blade 'sports blade' cylinder for a cricket application that will allow you to cut down as low as 3mm.The 10 blade is available as an optional extra. There is a fitted grass rake which will help you comb the grass in the same direction ahead of cutting and will also help lift lateral growth on your wicket.
Edgbaston Cricket Ground - Allett Stirling
Cartridges you may want to look at in your grant are;
The Scarifier cartridge is Allett’s most popular cultivation cartridge and is designed to remove thatch, surface debris and dead moss. This cartridge also helps lift lateral growth upright before mowing and can be used for leaf collection.
The Verticutter cartridge is a popular cartridge in the Allett range. Thin and closely spaced blades effectively lift lateral growth and remove moss which helps encourage tillering and new growth. The blades of the Verticut cartridge help pick up flat-lying grasses that your cylinder would otherwise miss. You won't want the local 90mph professional bowling bowling bouncers and hitting lateral growth! This cartridge will lift and cut lateral growth effectively.
The NEW stiffer bristle lawn brush cartridge is used for collecting light debris, putting a stripe in without mowing and incorporating a light top dressing into the sward. The brush is perfect for collecting ‘worm casts‘ that are left by earthworms that live in the root zone of the soil. This accessory effectively disperses and removes these worm casts and other debris such as fallen leaves, twigs, grass clippings or litter and deposits it into the grass box. It’s also great for removing dew from the square that can cause fungal diseases. Think how much hand brushing you need to do each season- you can do it with ease with the Allett Stirling.
These cartridges are all much lighter than our PRO RANGE cartridges making it easier for volunteers to put them in and out of the mower.
The Stirling is fitted with a PRO-DRIVE system which allows you to operate the cylinder independently to the rear roller drive meaning you can travel across car parks and gravel without having the cylinder running which would do some damage. The forward speed of the mower can be changed to suit the operators walking pace (RotoShift). You can also slow the speed of the mower right down when using the cartridges which makes the much more efficient eg when scarifying.
The Stirling can be pulled back with ease without resistance from driving the motor with the GlideDrive™ system. The rear roller is a double section rear roller with geared differential. The mower can be moved easily without power making this perfect for elderly volunteers at your cricket club.
Height of cut range on the mower is 5mm - 50mm or 3mm-50mm with the 10 blade cylinder. We would suggest using the 10 blade when cutting below 20mm and the 6 blade when cutting above 20mm. You will be using the 10 blade cylinder on the wicket and square. The height of cut is a quick toolless and step-less adjustment with a height gauge in mm. There is also a guide for when using the cultivation cartridges.
This is a perfect mower for clubs with smaller budgets looking for an electric wicket mower. Find our Stirling video here
Find a video of the mower on a bowling green here - they are cutting similar heights of cut to a cricket ground.
Please don't hesitate to call us 01889 271503 for more advice.
Allett PRO CYLINDER MOWERS
Allett C27E/C34E- Interchangeable Cartridge Mowers- Both perfect for a cricket square.
The Allett C27E (27'') and C34E (34'') are professional electric cylinder mowers perfect for cutting your cricket square. Both models are powered by 82v 6Ah Lithium Ion Cramer batteries and are like for like mowers apart from the difference in cutting widths. Batteries can be inserted within seconds and offer a run time of approximately 2hr 45hr on a full charge. Both mowers can be used on one battery while the others are on charge. These batteries can be placed in a range of Cramer tools for example a leaf blower, hedge trimmer and chainsaw for example. Charge time approx 1h30 per battery.
The system has the power to run a series of interchangeable cartridges including a 6 or 8 blade cutting cylinder, powered verticutter, powered brush, sorrel roller and a turf rake. Cartridge change on both models is quick and toolless. These cartridges give you the ability to do many tasks with one mowing unit rather than your club having to spend the money on extra machines. There is also the space in your shed to think about!
Cartridges that would suit your cricket pitch/square
Verticutter
The Powered VertiCutter is equipped with backwards inclined blades specially designed to prune the grass to improve tillering and stolon formation. This increases the turf density and is very important for anyone wishing to develop fine turf, such as those with bowling, golf greens and cricket applications. The blades are spaced 35mm apart and penetrate the soil to a maximum depth of 0mm. This cartridge will help you pick up flat lying grasses that will affect ball bounce. Batters wont like the ball flying around the heads!
Find out more about the 27'' Verticut cartridge here
Find out more about the 34'' Verticut cartridge here
Powered brush
The Powered Brush is perfect for sweeping away any ugly worm casts or leaves that are marring the surface of your pitch and has been carefully designed to keep your stripes perfect for even longer. It is also great at getting rid of any early morning dew.
Brushing prior to cutting also helps the grass stand more upright, meaning a sharper and more uniform cut is achieved, whilst controlling any moss issues and preventing any diseased areas spreading across the lawn or sports pitch.
You are forever brushing a wicket manually to get rid of moisture so save your back and use the brush cartridge.
Find out more about the 27'' Brush here
Find out more about the 34'' Brush here
8 blade cylinder
The mower comes as the unit only with a 6 blade/ optional 8 blade cylinder available. The 8 blade cylinder will produce a much finer higher quality cut for your square. We suggest using the 8 blade for your square.
Find the 27'' 8 blade cylinder here
Find out more about the 34'' 8 blade here
27'' Turf Rake- Our MOST POPULAR cartridge
This cartridge is our most popular cartridge by far. It is perfect for the removal of thatch and moss and collecting light debris such as leaves and pine needles etc. The Turf Rake is primarily designed to lift lateral growth, remove moss and dead material from the grass but it does a lot more than that. You can also use it for removal of broken blades of grass after matches and for removing pitch footprints left by the players. It is proving to be one of our most popular cartridges and now has longer tines for better collection.
Find out more about the 27'' Turf Rake here
Find out more about the 34'' Turf Rake here
Find our other cartridges available here
The height of cut range on both models is 8mm-55mm which is a perfect range for cutting a square. The height is adjusted easily without tools using the micrometre dial on both sides of the cylinder.
Both models are unbelievably quiet so if your club is surrounded by houses you wont have any issues with noise complaints. There is no petrol requirement and no emissions at the point of use making it much safer for operators. There is also much reduced HAV’s (Hand Arm Vibration) which can cause white finger. The 82V (6Ah) system is powerful enough to deliver the performance required, even for such a large mower, and drive the cartridges for year-round professional multiple task turf maintenance. These mowers will last you years if you regularly service and maintain them.
ECB Electric Mower Grant: The ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) has a grant scheme that is designed to encourage cricket clubs to invest in electric mowers. The scheme provides funding of up £10,000 for cricket clubs. The Allett Stirling 51, Allett C27E, and Allett C34E are all eligible for the ECB electric mower grant, making them an affordable option for cricket clubs looking to upgrade their mowing equipment.
Each application will be assessed on its own merit. Clubs can typically apply for between £1,000 (minimum) and £10,000 (maximum) per application. The grant may not be used to retrospectively fund projects. The amount of grant offered may differ from that requested by the Club. Each CCB has a pre-determined budget so the amount of funding they allocate may vary.
Read more here https://allett.co.uk/blogs/blog/grants-available-for-cricket-clubs-through-the-ecb
Please don't hesitate to contact us for more help on 01889 271503
Find your local Allett Dealer here
C34E Edgbaston
