Bangladesh Cricket Board Launches First Curator Training Programme

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is taking a fresh step towards reducing its reliance on overseas specialists by developing a pool of skilled local professionals capable of managing the country’s cricket pitches and playing surfaces. As part of that effort, the board is set to organise its first Level 1 training workshop for pitch curators and ground staff in Bangladesh.

The two-day programme will be held on 11 and 12 August at Flight Lieutenant Bir Sreshtho Matiur Rahman Stadium in Chattogram. The course will be conducted under the leadership of Tony Hemming, the BCB’s Head of Turf Management. The workshop is designed to provide participants with practical knowledge of pitch preparation, turf maintenance, wicket management and the fundamental principles involved in maintaining high-quality cricket grounds.

The initiative is being viewed as an important step towards strengthening Bangladesh’s cricket infrastructure over the long term. By investing in the development of local expertise, the BCB aims to create a more sustainable system in which trained Bangladeshi curators can take greater responsibility for preparing and maintaining pitches across the country’s venues.

Mazhar Uddin, secretary of the BCB’s Grounds Committee, said the Level 1 certification course was being introduced for the first time with the objective of improving the skills of local curators and ground staff. The programme is expected to contribute to greater professionalism in ground management while creating opportunities for more personnel working at different venues to receive structured training.

A total of 30 curators from Dhaka, Sylhet and Chattogram will take part in the first phase of the programme. Their knowledge and abilities will be assessed through an examination at the end of the training. Only those who successfully pass the assessment will receive the Level 1 certificate, making the programme more than simply an attendance-based workshop.

Pitch preparation is a highly specialised part of cricket ground management. The quality and behaviour of a wicket can be influenced by several factors, including soil composition, moisture levels, grass growth, rolling, drainage and prevailing weather conditions. Curators must also understand how to prepare surfaces that meet the demands of different formats and playing conditions while maintaining a balance between bat and ball.

The challenge is particularly significant in Bangladesh, where high humidity, seasonal rainfall and changing weather conditions can complicate the preparation and maintenance of cricket pitches. During the monsoon, heavy rain can affect drainage and moisture levels, while prolonged humidity can influence turf growth and the condition of the playing surface. Managing these factors requires technical knowledge as well as an understanding of local soil and climatic conditions.

The BCB’s latest initiative comes amid a broader effort to strengthen domestic expertise in cricket administration and infrastructure. Bangladesh has, at various times, relied on overseas specialists for the preparation of pitches for major and international matches. Building a stronger local workforce could gradually reduce that dependence while allowing Bangladeshi curators to develop expertise based on the country’s own environmental and playing conditions.

The training programme is therefore intended to serve a purpose beyond the distribution of certificates. Regular education, practical experience and professional assessment can help establish a more consistent standard of pitch and ground management across the country’s cricket venues. If the initiative is expanded in the future, a larger network of trained curators could emerge, giving different venues greater access to qualified personnel.

For domestic cricket, improved curator expertise could help ensure more consistent playing surfaces from one venue to another. At the international level, stronger local capacity could also assist the board in preparing grounds for matches according to specific requirements and prevailing conditions.

The Chattogram workshop will mark the beginning of what the BCB hopes will become a broader curator development pathway. The first group of 30 participants will have the opportunity to gain formal training and certification, while the examination process will provide an initial measure of their technical understanding.

If the programme is maintained and expanded through subsequent levels of training, it could eventually contribute to the development of a professional and self-sufficient network of Bangladeshi pitch curators and ground staff. Such a system would not only strengthen the day-to-day management of cricket venues but could also play a meaningful role in improving the overall quality and consistency of Bangladesh’s cricket infrastructure.