Cricket club vandals strike again

ASSESSING the damage . . . club president Peter Farrand

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DETERMINED cricketers are fighting back after being hit by a spate of vandalism at their home ground.

Over the last six months, Glodwick Cricket Club has seen its main pavilion broken into, practice nets ruined and scoreboard hut destroyed.

Damage at the Warren Lane venue has run into thousands of pounds. In the latest attack, thugs broke into the main building at the Pennine Cricket League club, destroyed the alarms and damaged the door.

However, it is the club's scoreboard hut which has borne the brunt of abuse over the summer.

Four separate incidents saw its door kicked in and brickwork damaged to the point where the building is now dangerous.

Club chairman David Chaloner said: "We spent money to build a new score box ­- the Oldham College building department came and built if for us ­- and it was almost ready.

"But on four separate occasions vandals have been down and wrecked it.

"They kicked the door in, they have kicked the door out, they have de-stabilised the brickwork and there is a large hole in it now.

"We have tried repairing it before but it just happens again so we are now wondering whether to pull it down.

"We are not a rich club and it would cost us about £2,000 to repair.

"The practice nets have been vandalised, the main pavilion was broken into last week.

"It's got to the stage where, as a club, we are getting very weary of it.

"It is having an impact on our neighbours, we have good neighbours but they are worried about the increase in anti-social behaviour and vandalism.

"For 30 years we have had very little trouble but over the last six months we have been plagued by it."

Despite the trouble, it hasn't stopped officials opening a new clubhouse in honour of late member, Bilal Malik.

The pavilion ­- named in memory of first team player Bilal who lost his fight against cancer at The Christie in February, 2015 ­- was paid for by funds raised by club members and will enable them to host their own events rather than looking further afield.

"It is good for the club, it shows that we have moved up in the cricket world," Mr Chaloner said.

"Our members have put their hands into their pockets so we could have this. It is a very well-built building and it allows us to have small events," David said.

"When people come to the club they can see that it is progressing, it is important for us.

"Bilal came over from Pakistan when he was 11 and then he came to play cricket for us.

"He was very popular, a really nice guy and he was loved by everyone. In 2014, he was part of the first team which won the district league.

"When he was diagnosed with cancer and passed away it was devastating. We wanted to do something for him, so we have named the pavilion after him."