Yobs Trash Cricket Wickets

Yobs Trash Cricket Wickets: Yobs smashed a pick axe into two wickets at a cricket club just weeks into the new season.

Shocking images show dozens and dozens of divots were taken out of the surfaces.

Club officials at Ashton Ladysmith Cricket Club in Ashton-under-Lyne, Tameside , said they were baffled over the motive behind the vandal attack.

The small club, based on Rose Hill Road, survives because of community spirit and its members, who all volunteer to help out.

Groundsman John Hillson gave up hours of his free time to get the ground fit and ready for the new season after the winter’s bad weather.

Members arrived at the ground on Bank Holiday Monday to discover the damage.

The club field two teams in the Greater Manchester Cricket League.

John said: “We think it is a pick axe and it has been done with some force. Someone has gone to the trouble of climbing over the gate taking a heavy implement with them.

“It has definitely been done with real purpose.

“If it is someone we have upset, then we want to put it right. People put hours into this cricket club in terms of volunteering and it’s a terrible thing to do. We think it may have happened on the Sunday evening before it went dark.

“The team met for a game on the Sunday and there was nothing untoward then.

“It’s three weeks into the start of the new season and they have targeted our two wickets – they are the two that we have been using.

“There are 10 wickets altogether and we had just prepared the two. Obviously we are interested in who might have done this and if anyone has heard anything they should let us know.

“We don’t want it happening again.”

On each wicket, the crease area where balls land and batsmen stand had been targeted in a bid to cause the most damage to the surfaces.

The sods of soil displaced have been put back into the holes left behind.

Both wickets then were watered then rolled.

John said he believes no serious damage has been caused, although other wickets have been cut and are now being used.

The incident hasn’t been reported to police.

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