Vital cricket equipment damaged by vandals
Egremont Cricket ClubVandals have caused thousands of pounds worth of damage at a cricket club.
Staff at Egremont Cricket Club in Cumbria said several wicket covers were broken on Sunday and a window and door were also damaged at its Gilfoot Park ground.
They said if the money cannot be found it could mean matches having to be called off or abandoned during bad weather.
The club estimates the cost of replacing the covers and repairing the other damage could be between £6,000 and £7,000. Police are investigating the vandalism.
Third team captain and committee member Simon Young said: "Sports clubs have so many people who put so many hours into keeping [them] going.
"It's really disheartening when stuff like this happens."
Young said the club was not in a financial position to pay for the repairs itself and that if it makes a claim on its insurance its premiums will increase.
He said the club had "no real options" other than trying to find a way to temporarily fix the covers.
"We're looking to the community and the business community to see if they could help us."
The first team plays in the Cumbria League First Division and in the upcoming season it expects to host about thirty games across all its adult teams.
"Living in West Cumbria it can be a nice day, next thing it starts raining and you can bring the covers on quickly go off for a break," Young said, adding that, without the covers, matches "are in jeopardy".
Having games called off or abandoned would mean teams dropping points and potential relegation.
"If [the first team] were to get relegated, you're down into a league where it's very difficult to attract any players."
