Turn your lawn into a cricket pitch

If you're looking for things to do this summer, why not combine garden landscaping with Australia's favourite pastime - cricket?

For any cricket fans with enough space to lay down some turf in the backyard, this is the project for you.

Measure it out

Figure out where you want the pitch to be on your lawn, and mark it out with stakes and rope. A full-size pitch should be 20m long and 3m wide, however many home owners won't have the space for a full pitch! Scale this down to something manageable for your lawn.

Ideally the pitch should be in the middle of a large section of grass, which can be used as the outfield, but if you are limited for space you can utilise the room you have and simply use the pitch for bowling and batting practice.

Dig it up

Excavators could come in handy here, as you'll need to dig the pitch to a depth of up to 12 inches. Then add a layer of half an inch of gravel over top. This will assist with drainage, which is especially handy over the winter months. Roll this layer with heavy rollers to compact it as much as possible. Top with a layer of dry sand, three inches thick, and then roll and compact this so it's level.

Bulli

The final layer on top of the sand should be bulli, which is made up clay, loam and sand. This should be mixed specially for your soil type and climatic conditions, so consult an expert to get the best result. Lay your bulli in a two inch layer and roll well to ensure it's compact. Put down two layers, rolling after each. Try to get the top layer as level as you can.

Plant your grass

Some people may choose not to plant grass over their pitch. If this is the case for you, make sure you roll it regularly to ensure it stays compact.

If you do go for grass, choose a fine type. Plant plugs 4 inches apart over the pitch, and then top dress this with a thin bulli layer. Roll this lightly, top dress and then fertilise. Water this regularly with a mist-type nozzle and roll the pitch whenever it gets wet.