Dutch champions VRA Amsterdam have announced the appointment of a leading English club groundsman as the man responsible for their ground in the Amsterdamse Bos for the 2008 season.

Andrew Clarke (45) was until recently the groundsman at Shenley Park in Hertfordshire, having previously looked after grounds at premier league clubs Gravesend, Bishop’s Stortford and Winchmore Hill. He is also a pitch advisor for the ECB.

In his four years at Shenley Park he greatly improved the quality and standing of the ground, attracting such major fixtures as women’s Test matches and under-19 ODIs. He was runner-up in last year’s ECB competition for top club groundsmen.

‘Coming to Amsterdam is a great opportunity for me to broaden my experience,’ Clarke said on Monday. ‘There’s a chance to make a real difference at an attractive international ground, away from the traditional base of world cricket.

‘There’s a good basis already there, but frankly speaking, a lot of work will need to be done to get the square up to its absolute best. And that’s going to take time.’

Clarke sees improving the grass coverage on the block as the first priority, but analysis of cores he took during a visit to Amsterdam last week has confirmed his view that there is the potential for producing outstanding pitches.

VRA’s acting chairman Ed van Nierop is delighted that the club has been able to attract a groundsman of Clarke’s experience.

‘This appointment is a sign of VRA’s determination to retain its position as the leading international venue in the country,’ he says.

‘And we are also very pleased that the Amsterdam council, which owns the ground, has agreed to play a part in improving the venue by funding an assistant groundsman.’