That's just not cricket! Furious players banned from using traditional home ground after local complains of being hit by ball

Daily Mail​

21 hours ago

Three cricket clubs at a ground used since the 18th century fear they could wink out of existence after they were told to stop playing when a ball allegedly hit a passer-by on the leg.
The suspension was imposed by the local parish council for 'health and safety reasons' after the member of public reported the incident last month.
Signs have also been placed around the boundary of the pitch where it meets the public car park, stating that the sport has been suspended.
But members of Danbury Cricket Club, who were playing at the time, said they hadn't seen anyone being struck by a well-struck ball – and claimed the time it reportedly happened was ten minutes before the match started.
Players and supporters are worried the ban could become permanent, claiming the parish council frequently complained about the 'financial burden' the sport placed on its budget.
Rory Carlton, honorary secretary of Danbury Cricket Club, told the Daily Telegraph: 'Neither Danbury CC or their opposition – Burnam and South Woodham CC – witnessed any member of the public being struck by a ball during or before the match.
'Following the alleged incident, I was informed by Danbury Parish Council that it 'didn't realise somebody could be struck by a cricket ball and thus the risk profile had changed' – which I, and any reasonable person, would surely find incredulous.'
Pain stopped play after the alleged incident on May 28, when the individual was said to have been 'hit by a cricket ball on [the] leg whilst unloading/loading his car' in a nearby public car park.
They were heading towards a leisure centre which is attached to the cricket clubhouse.
However, the incident log states it happened at 1pm – ten minutes before the maiden over that day at Dawson Memorial Field in the small Essex village.
The spot is also used by Oaklands Cricket Club and Tuskers Cricket Club, who are all now nervously waiting for the parish council to decide their fate at a meeting on June 23.
Councillors have also arranged a public meeting on June 19 where residents can air their views on the matter.
A change.org petition calling for play to resume has been signed by more than 1,600 people. At present, the teams can only play away fixtures.
Mr Carlton, who started the petition, wrote on the page: 'The abrupt decision by the Danbury Parish Council to suspend all forms of cricket has left our three local teams – Danbury CC, Tuskers CC, and Oakland's CC – without a home ground, frantically searching for temporary venues.
'This decision not only disrupts these teams but threatens to sever a tradition that has been interwoven into the fabric of Danbury's community life for over three centuries, with written record of a match in 1799.'
The match played 226 years ago was against Little Baddow - and was won by Danbury, records show.
Stuart Ayris, club captain, secretary and treasurer at Oaklands CC – which has made a formal complaint to the council - said: 'If we can't play in the league, the chances are we will then fold as clubs.
'I got a call about two weeks ago to say that the top field is going to be closed because of an incident which is right next to the cricket pitch.
'We got a call out of the blue to say cricket's been suspended until a meeting at the end of June because it's too dangerous.
'We believe this sets an incredibly worrying precedent for any team that plays their matches in a public space.
'Cricket was suspended without any consultation with the three teams who play there and without any effort to investigate the allegation.'
Mr Ayris, whose team, like Danbury CC, plays in the T Rippon Med Essex League, added the parish council regularly complained about the costs involved in allowing the sport to go ahead.
He said: 'Every time we have a meeting before the season, and post-season, they say that cricket is a financial burden on the parish council and that we have to give them reasons to carry on.'
Parish council chairman April Chapman insisted cricket 'has not been banned in Danbury'.
She said: 'There was an incident where someone in our car park was hit by a cricket ball.
'A majority of the council at a subsequent meeting decided to suspend cricket for three weeks until we had a report from our health and safety advisors as to what mitigations could be taken."
Parish clerk Michelle Harper added: 'At the moment, the council has suspended cricket while it carries out a further health and safety review.
'We decided to close the top car park where the cricket is played – hopefully as a short-term measure.
'It's suspended until June 23, when the council will have a formal council meeting to decide on the mitigation that it needs to put in place so that cricket can continue.
'It's really important that people understand that we haven't cancelled cricket. All we've done is suspend cricket while we are carrying out both investigations and looking at mitigation for the health and safety of everybody who uses the field.'
Last year, Southwick and Shoreham Cricket Club, which was formed in 1790 near Brighton, East Sussex, banned players from hitting sixes following complaints from neighbours that house windows, cars, sheds and even people were in the firing line from big hitters.