By ADEM SARICAOGLU
THE Williamstown and District Cricket Association’s A Turf grand final was abandoned and declared a draw on Sunday after the pitch was found to have been deliberately damaged before play.
Both the Grand United and West Newport Cricket Clubs were called out to the Greenwich Reserve scene on Sunday morning with the game delicately poised after three days of play.
By stumps on Saturday evening, West Newport was just one wicket away from victory with Grand United still needing an unlikely 92 runs for victory.
However, match and club officials arrived on Sunday morning to discover several holes across each popping crease.
The covers that were in place overnight were also damaged and the roller that would have been used to repair the wicket was found broken and could not be used.
Police were eventually called to the scene.
On the day his club should have claimed the WDCA’s top prize, West Newport secretary Mick Jones said he was “absolutely disgusted” with the overnight shenanigans.
“Overnight, we got the phone call saying that the wicket got dug up so we went down there and just before the popping creases on both ends there were four-inch holes right across the whole wicket,” Jones explained.
“It was someone who knows cricket because they knew where the wicket was, they knew how to pull the covers back, they pulled the covers back on and they even went to the length of taking the pieces of dirt and putting them in the water near The Strand.
“So they knew exactly what they were doing.”
Grand United president Daniel Gaylor described the culprits as “complete morons” and said the book would be thrown at them if they’re found to have been members of his club.
“We would obviously have a thorough investigation,” Gaylor said.
“We would hope anyone found guilty of doing something like that either from our club or from another club would be given a life ban from the association and off course, from our club.”
WDCA chairman Mark Keating said a determination on the result of the uncompleted match would be confirmed early this week.
