Waterford Vikings Cricket Club is grappling with the aftermath of a major incident of vandalism last weekend in which its astro turf matting crease was severely damaged.
Located on the outskirts of Waterford city, the club faces thousands of euro in repair costs as it works to restore its pitch.
Club president Jobin K Baby expressed his disappointment over the incident, which took place between Saturday, June 29th, and the following day.
“Our new astro turf matted crease and other facilities, which were developed in the past five months, have been significantly damaged. This ground had remained unattended for many years before it was handed over to us by the Waterford Council last December, and we put considerable effort and resources into revitalising it,” he said.
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The club has more than 500 members, mainly from the local Indian community, but welcomes players of all nationalities. “The club’s membership is open to everyone, irrespective of nationality or gender, but the majority of the current active members are from the Indian community in Waterford,” added Mr Baby.
The club has recently been upgrading its facilities to support a variety of community cricket activities.
The vandals targeted the artificial turf used for the crease, which is essential for batting and bowling in Ireland’s weather. “Some of it had been peeled off the ground. They took it out and rolled it away,” said another committee member, who did not wish to be named.
Despite the setback, the club remains committed to its community. “There are no Irish players playing with us at the moment. It’s all from our [Indian] community. But players from different nationalities, including Irish, come together participating in tournaments,” added the member.
A Garda investigation into the incident is continuing.
In response to the vandalism, the club has launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise €5,500 for repairs and enhanced security measures. “The funds will cover repair costs, install safety cameras, and add sensor lights to prevent future incidents,” said the club in a statement.
Waterford Vikings Cricket Club, which has only recently begun using the grounds after they had lain dormant for about 15 years, is hopeful that community support will help it to recover quickly. “Now it’s a place where everyone comes together to share their love for cricket,” the committee member added.
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