Police are hunting vandals who they believe have a 'knowledge of cricket' after three wickets were attacked at Holmfirth Cricket Club on Friday (22nd April), reports The Huddersfield Daily Examiner.
The criminals dug up three newly-prepared wickets, targeting the areas where the bowler would pitch the ball up on each - presumably to cause the maximum amount of distress. The mindless attacks put Saturday's opening Drakes Huddersfield League fixture in doubt.
Damage to one of the three wickets as pictured in the Huddersfield Daily Examiner
The paper reported officials at the club faced a race against time to cut a new wicket in time fothe game against Meltham.
They also needed special permission for the match go ahead, given the potential dangers of unpredictable bounce on the hastily-prepared wicket.
Club chairman David Whiteley told the local paper, “They made a good job of the damage and knew exactly what they were doing.
“They dug the wickets right on a length where the ball would pitch, and from both sides. We think it’s someone with a grievance against the club.”
Mr Whiteley told how a man walking his dog early on Saturday spotted the damage and rang him up.
He alerted groundstaff who realised the damage was too severe for immediate repair. In fact the wickets may be out of use all season.
A handful of helpers set about cutting a new wicket even borrowing a wacker plate, more often used on roadworks, to compact and flatten the turf.
The club reported the damage to police and informed the league of the makeshift nature of the wicket.
“We told the league what we had done and said we didn’t know how it would play and if it might be dangerous with the ball flying about,” said Mr Whiteley.
“The league advised us to cut the wicket and let the umpires decide.”
The game went ahead with no complaints from the players.
