Holes Appear In Cricket Pitch: Vandals have hit a cricket club in Tameside after digging up more than 150 holes on the pitch.
The damage to the wickets at Ashton Ladysmith Cricket Club was discovered earlier this week.
It’s thought to have happened some time between 5pm on Tuesday and 2pm on Thursday.
The ground on Rosehill Road in Ashton-under-Lyne is secure and to get inside someone would have had to scale a 6ft metal fence – with a spade.
That’s why club bosses believe the attack on the pitch was deliberate and premeditated.
Club house manager David Gaskin discovered the damage.
“It’s definitely deliberate,” he said.
“Over 150 holes have been dug up with a spade.
“It happened last year as well, it wasn’t as bad and we thought at the time it may have been kids but not this, this is deliberate.
“It’s the same area that’s been targeted as well so it seems like someone has a grievance against the club.”
David said it took him three hours to put the dug-up grass back in the holes but says it will be at least a month before it is fit to play on.
Members will have to use practice pitches for the time being.
“Out of 10 wickets, seven had been damaged, and they’re the main ones that we use so whoever did this knew what they were doing.
“They will have also had to get over a 6ft metal fence with a spade to get in, and needed 30-40 minutes to do what they did so it had to have been planned.
“I just don’t understand it.”
The incident has been reported to police and enquiries are being carried out.
David said the club is now looking to install CCTV and is appealing to any local businesses who would be willing to help out to get in touch.
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