Three cricket clubs suspended after person ‘hit by ball in car park'
'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,' Ayris said. '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 play 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.'
Oaklands Cricket Club have made a formal complaint to Danbury Parish Council.
Rory Carlton, the honorary secretary of Danbury Cricket Club, said that none of those playing for or against Danbury during the game when the alleged incident occurred had any recollection of a member of the public being hit. According to the accident log, the incident occurred at 1pm, 10 minutes before Danbury's match began that day.
'Neither Danbury CC or their opposition – Burnham and South Woodham CC – witnessed any member of the public being struck by a ball during or before the match,' Carlton said. 'Following the alleged incident I was informed by Danbury Parish Council that they '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.'
Ayris also said that Oaklands Cricket Club had posted a link to their petition on the Danbury Village community page on Facebook, which was deleted within hours.
'We haven't cancelled cricket'
Michelle Harper, parish clerk at Danbury Parish Council, told Telegraph Sport that the suspension of cricket was only temporary.
'At the moment, the council has suspended cricket while it carries out a further health and safety review,' Parish said. '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. We haven't cancelled cricket, which I think is a lot of people's fear.'
Ayris told Telegraph Sport that Danbury Parish Council has persistently complained about the cost of cricket.
'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,' he said.
Harper added: 'The council has always supported cricket in the time I've been here.'
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