Meg Lay - Lord’s Cricket Ground - Groundswoman
Meg Lay is a pioneering grounds professional at Lord’s Cricket Ground, with a career shaped by her New Zealand farming background and elite-level cricket experience. Since starting in UK grounds management at Gloucestershire County Cricket Club in 2022, Meg has quickly established herself as a leading figure in sports turf, preparing surfaces for top-tier cricket and inspiring a new generation of grounds professionals. She was recognised as the GMA’s Newcomer of the Year in 2023.
At Lord’s, Meg applies her deep agricultural knowledge and understanding of player needs to maintain world-class cricket surfaces. She notably organised, recruited and led the first-ever all-female grounds team to prepare an international cricket pitch at Edgbaston, a historic milestone for the sport and the industry. As co-chair of the GMA NextGen, Meg is dedicated to attracting and supporting young people in sports turf and ensuring the sector remains inclusive and forward-looking.
Meg’s achievements include being the first woman to prepare an international cricket pitch and the first to manage a pitch at Lord’s. She has also been a finalist for the ECB Rising Star Award and the Woman of the Future in Sport Award. These milestones have not only raised the profile of women in grounds management but have also led to increased investment in facility quality at her previous club. Meg sees these “firsts” not as barriers, but as opportunities to inspire and mentor others, showing that dedication and skill are recognised and rewarded in this industry.
Beyond day-to-day pitch preparation, Meg actively promotes the work of grounds professionals through social media, reaching over 50,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok. She uses this platform to educate and attract young people to the profession, demonstrating the impact and appeal of careers in sports turf.
Looking ahead, Meg aims to continue refining her expertise at Lord’s, contribute to match-day preparations across multiple sports, and ultimately return to New Zealand to lead a test cricket venue. She is particularly focused on optimising surfaces for women’s cricket, aspiring to become a global consultant on elite women’s pitches.
Meg was an incredibly fast and passionate learner when she started working at Bristol over 3 years ago. She is incredibly hard working and values being a team player above all else. She also possesses strong leadership skills which will set her in good stead to manage her own ground in the future. If everyone had the passion and determination of Meg, the industry would be in an exceptional place."
Sean Williams, Head Groundsperson – Gloucestershire County Cricket Club
