Stratfield Brake
Stratfield Brake is located to the north of Oxford on the A41. The sports ground occupies 22 acres of an 81 acre site which borders the Oxford canal to the west, with the village of Kidlington to the north. Stratfield Brake derives its name from the "brake" of trees that makes up the border to the southern sports ground and runs adjacent to the two cricket pitches. These long-established deciduous woodlands now come under the management of the Woodland Trust who have extended the woodland planting with traditional species such as oak, ash and maple. Further planting of native plants such as holly and blackthorn has helped to form the new woodlands, which have meandering trails encircling the recently formed lakes and water margins, creating a designated wetland area. Still to be completed is a bridge that linking the canal towpath with Stratfield Brake allowing access to Kidlington’s well-established circular walks.
The earthworks undertaken to form the cricket grounds on the southern sports ground and the rugby pitches on the northern sports ground was completed by the autumn of 1998, with the first games of cricket taking place in May 2000. An extensive drainage system was installed which takes surface water from the already inclined cricket tables to a main drainage channel that runs in parallel with the ditch running along side the central hedge. Stratfield Brake is not a place to be when the wind blows with the prevailing winds and weather moving in from the west. With much of the topsoil being made up of Oxford clay the groundsman is frequently faced with extreme conditions, especially during the early months of the season. An artificial surface is available on the second square allowing instant play and middle practise, principally for our youth section but the quality of the surface will easily allow utilisation by adults.
Both cricket pitches rely on our rather unusual score hut, which had to be built on wheels to overcome the green-belt planning regulations. The building has scoreboards on two faces and makes use of mechanical numerals, while the ability to be operated remotely is still there if and when the required funds become available. While the inside is best described as spartan, scorers can escape from the weather and the wind in this somewhat rustic facility. The two lane practise facility situated directly along side the pavilion was opened by the Chairman of the England Selectors, David Graveney, in April 2000. The bases are made up of compacted quarry dust with a shock pad overlaid with carpet, providing a quality bounce: with or without our bowling machine, this forms an excellent practise facility.
4th Sep 10