For many years now the Upminster Park wicket has been rated amongst the very best in Essex cricket. In fact, at the end of 2025 the square at HQ was ranked “Number One” by captains of visiting 1st XIs during the season. Already in 2026, even though the season is only a couple of weeks old, we have seen runs galore at Upminster Park, with ten half centuries being made across the three senior games played at HQ and Aki Rahman and Callum Berry both striking brilliant centuries at the weekend (160 and 197 respectively). The square itself is looking in fantastic condition, despite the fact that the lack of rain in recent weeks has made conditions difficult for grounds-staff all over the South East of England.

Away from Upminster Park and our Grounds Executive Mark Severn has also put in a huge amount of work to improve the condition of the squares at our out-grounds, Coopers and Campion, in recent seasons, and this is reflected in the excellent cricket played at both grounds in the last few years.

Of course, with regards to the condition of the square at Upminster Park, it hasn’t always been this way. For many years the club relied on the amazing work of John Sutton, Gwynne Mack and John Nash whose endless voluntary hours turned the square into one of the most highly rated in the league after years of it being viewed as more friendly to bowlers than batters. However, after John, Gwynne and John had “hung up their boots” the condition of the square declined in certain aspects, and the club turned to a certain Mark Severn to see if he would be able to come to RM14. Mark fortunately accepted the offer and the rest is history.

Mark brought with him huge experience having worked preparing great wickets for many years and he explained how he got into groundskeeping all them years ago: “Years ago everyone who played club cricket used to carry out all the ground works. The clubs I played for as a teen were no different (Great & Little Warley and Bentley) and I quite enjoyed this but probably enjoyed the banter and beer more than the work!! I was playing for Brentwood in the early 90’s, and was in-between careers, when I was approached by Barry Smith (an old mate of mine), John Thurston and John Clarke asking if I would like to get involved with working at the Polo Fields, Hutton, on their cricket pitches. It was an easy yes, but I still had much to learn.

“They did have a dedicated groundsman, but I was unaware until we met that my tenure would start immediately as he was off to enjoy his retirement in New Zealand….it was “hello, goodbye” and off he went. Many Institute of Groundsman-ship and Writtle Agricultural courses followed and that was it.”

During his years at Hutton, Mark would continue to build up his knowledge and experience and gradually began to gain a reputation for producing high-quality pitches. In club cricket these kind of things don’t go unnoticed and that was the case for Mark as a number of opportunities began to open up for him, as he explained: “I built somewhat of a reputation at Hutton and some of the Essex CCC lower age groups started to play there on a regular basis (sides including the likes of Ravi Bopara and Graham Napier). A few seasons passed and I was approached about taking sole charge as Grounds Manager of the new project between Essex CCC, Met Essex Cricket Board and The London Playing Fields Association at Wadham Lodge which was having extensive renovations carried out and would be named the Peter May Sports Centre. During 1999 and into 2000 the project gained speed and momentum until it was officially opened in June 2000 with an exhibition cricket match attended by Sir John Major, The Duke of Gloucester, Graham Gooch, Mike Gatting, Ted Dexter, Colin Cowdrey and Trevor Bailey.”

From the Peter May Sports Centre, Mark moved just a couple of miles down the road to Monkhams Lane, home of Woodford Wells, where he worked for a number of years before moving on around 2007. On leaving “The Wells” Mark worked on the squares for a number of clubs and was working not to far from RM14 when he was contacted by UCC: “We had this chat and everything went silent, so I thought they had found someone else. However, another call during the following winter/spring resulted in a meeting in the café opposite HQ (Coffee Bloom) with Messrs Mack, Sutton and Peck and the rest is set in the history of UCC and my grey matter.”

Mark has been at the club for a number of years now and has become part of the furniture so to speak, but he has seen things change in many ways during his time at Upminster Park: “Certainly in my early years working for the club I didn’t really know many of the members or committee. As the club has grown, and it has grown beyond the club I started working for, it has evolved, grown and blossomed into a real hub for those who love the game of cricket. I have been able to meet many club members and on match days, some great characters on the boundary. In recent years the 1st XI has contested for promotion to the Premier League but fallen just short. From what I know around the county there is no other club within Essex that has grown this quickly and is so strong. This is testimony to an excellent committee led by a very intelligent, imaginative and perspicacious Chair. Whenever I have presented the club with projects I have rarely been rebuffed which shows me a healthy level of trust between both parties.

Cricket is clearly, and always has been, a big part of Mark’s life, but it’s not his only sporting interest. As well as being a huge rugby league fan Mark’s other sporting love is the other side of the river, in South East London: “The Red Army!! Charlton Athletic…….like most families, it’s in the blood. The Old Man’s family home was in Shooters Hill, and he had trials at SE7 as WWII was breaking out. Dad was drafted and fought as a tank driver/gunner in the 7th Armoured Division, The Desert Rats.

“My first Charlton game with him was in 1966 at The Valley. My son Rory was also taken to a game at a young age, and we have both enjoyed good times and bad but have witnessed some fantastic matches and rarely missed a game during the Curbishley era. We have both attended all three play-off matches that Charlton have been involved in at Wembley.”

The club was pleased to make Mark a Vice President of the club at the last AGM in November, and we look forward to seeing him continue to work on all of the club’s grounds for many years to come.