Bowled Over: Charting SIS Grass Hybrid’s Growth in Cricket Across the World

Cricket is a sport of tradition but it’s also an early adopter of new technologies designed to push competition forward.

Hybrid cricket pitches are among the best examples of this change, with the ECB having first sanctioned them for use at professional county level in 2019. After notable success in England and Wales, the ICC followed suit in 2022, permitting their use for T20 and 50-over competition.

Since then, hybrids have continued to take root across the world, with SIS Pitches playing a key role in some of the most prestigious installations within cricket’s elite stadia. Our install at Dharamshala back in 2024 – the first of its kind in India – offers a good case in point.

But as this latest edition of the ‘SIS Everywhere’ series shows, it’s not just the top levels of competition now taking on this technology. Today, it can also be found at grassroots level, offering a range of performance benefits for both players and groundspeople.

As the name suggests, hybrid pitches are a mixture of natural and synthetic grass. The technology has existed for years but has only become a viable option for top-level cricket in the past decade.

The greatest advance for hybrids came with the introduction of the stitched hybrid system. This approach sees synthetic yarn fibres implanted into a pitch at set depths. Grass then grows around these fibres, securing them in place and encouraging greater depth of root growth.

With a stitched hybrid pitch, the result is a more robust playing surface capable of withstanding the heavy wear generated by bowlers, batters and fielders. Stitched systems also provide better drainage as the fibres act as a conduit for water to reach the soil profile. Better drainage means better germination, and therefore healthier grass.

It’s no surprise, then, to see stitching now taking place at every level of competition, giving both amateurs and professionals the chance to play on a stronger, more durable surface. Greater durability means more matches can be played at a higher level for longer intervals, easing the pressures on busy groundspeople, regardless of whether they’re working in one of the sport’s most recognisable stadiums or helping down their local club.

And, as this piece shows, the technology is now making its way to regions where cricket is not typically considered the national sport, demonstrating its growing appeal across the world.

Here are some examples of where we’ve been over the past year and what’s coming up.

Installing county-level hybrid cricket pitches  

Let’s begin close to home. 

At county level, we delivered repeat installs at Somerset CCC and Warwickshire CCC, with these grounds having first adopted a hybrid surface in 2017. This work has led to further enquiries from Yorkshire CCC, Hampshire CCC and Glamorgan CCC – all looking to install in 2026. As of February 2026, SIS has also just completed three pitches at Northamptonshire CCC.  

SIS has also agreed to deliver six hybrid pitches at the new women’s ground for Middlesex CCC. Due for install this spring, this is the first facility Middlesex will own outright in its 162-year history, marking it out as a landmark moment for the club, grounds team and fans alike.  

Our work around the capital is set to grow substantially in 2026, with phase three of our agreement with the ECB due to begin. This work will see SIS deliver some 90 pitches across South London.  

Across the rest of England, the team worked at many local clubs, such as Hethersett & Tas Valley CC in Norwich, as well as Mirfield Parish Church CC, West Bretton CC, Haverford West CC, Cramlington CC, Sidmouth CC, Preston Nomads CC, South Loughton CC, Plumtree CC, Ickenham CC, Bexley CC and Buxted Park CC.  

Meanwhile in Northern Ireland, we hosted an open day at Lisburn CC, stitching a pitch at the club while meeting with local groundspeople and contractors. Five more projects have since been signed off in the region: Templepatrick, Larne and Lurgan, as well as CIYMS CC and a major install at Stormont House in Belfast. SIS’s work has also grown in the Republic of Ireland, with two notable installs in Dublin: Clontarf CC and Railway Union CC.  

Joining this growing list of local clubs was work at several schools, including Rutlish School in London and Berkhamsted School in Hertfordshire. In early 2026, the team also delivered the first hybrid install at Rugby School.  

It’s been similarly busy on the other side of the world. 

At the beginning of 2025, our New Zealand partners Mexted Sports Turf stitched SIS Grass Hybrid into the practice nets at Eden Park in Auckland, the country’s national stadium with capacity for 60,000 fans. These were used for international warm-up matches as well as domestic club competition. 

On the other side of the city, SIS Grass Hybrid was also installed for a wicket block on the northernmost strip of the Ōrākei Domain. This picturesque sports venue is known for its lush green spaces and stunning view of the Waitematā harbour, while also serving as home to Parnell CC. 

Similar work took place at Fraser Park in Wellington, Seddon Park in Hamilton and Mitre 10 Park in Napier, the latter being home to Central Districts Cricket facilities for high-performance practice. These are just some of the projects delivered in recent months, though hybrids continue to expand across New Zealand’s cricket facilities with a handful of installs due throughout 2026. 

Perhaps most notable of all, 2025 saw Australian partners HG Sports Turf return to the iconic Gabba Stadium in Brisbane, with SIS Grass Hybrid having been stitched into the practice wicket area and a portion of the outfield in November 2025. 

More recently, the ground was host to the second test for the 2025/26 Ashes, which saw Australia defeat England by resounding eight wickets, effectively ending England’s hopes for the series.   

From county pitches in the UK to high-performance blocks under the sun in the southern hemisphere, the spread of hybrid technology is reshaping how the game is played, managed and maintained.  

As this range of projects shows, what began as an innovation for premier venues has now become a central part of cricket’s grassroots development, creating better, longer-lasting playing conditions for all. 

Looking ahead, 2026 promises to be another year of expansion. Further project already confirmed for this year point to the same story unfolding globally: hybrid cricket surfaces are not a passing trend but the new standard for modern cricket infrastructure. 

At SIS Pitches, we’re proud to play a part in that journey – supporting the game’s traditions while stitching in its future, one pitch at a time.