I’m Meg Lay, a groundskeeper at Lord’s Cricket Ground. In my role, I help prepare the playing surfaces that make matchdays possible. I grew up in New Zealand on my grandparents’ farm near Christchurch and I’ve always loved being outdoors and working with the land. Cricket was a big part of my life too, so finding a career that blends both has been pretty special.
I moved to England planning to travel, but I ended up taking an opportunity to help out on the groundstaff team at Gloucestershire and realised quickly that this was what I wanted to do. From there, things moved fast. I became the first woman to join the groundskeeping team at Lord’s and I’ve been proud to play a part in showing what’s possible behind the scenes in cricket.
Some of the moments I’m proudest of have been genuine firsts. I was the first woman to prepare an international cricket pitch and the first to manage a pitch at Lord’s. I also organised and led the first-ever all-female grounds team to prepare an international pitch at Edgbaston, which was a brilliant moment for the sport and the industry.
What I love most is that our work is a mix of skill, teamwork and detail, and how it directly shapes the game people see. If you’re someone who likes being hands on and working with a dedicated team, there’s a whole world of cricket and roles behind the scenes that need people like you.