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Cricket club suffers 'vandalism' for seventh time

Tony FisherBedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire
News imageWestcroft Cricket Club A long, irregular strip of churned-up soil runs through the centre of a cricket pitch, forming a continuous line of broken turf that contrasts with the surrounding green grass. In the distance, a fenced-off section with orange mesh and a standing figure can be seen, along with houses and trees bordering the field. The sky is overcast, casting a muted light over the scene and highlighting the rough texture of the disturbed ground.Westcroft Cricket Club
Zafar said some sort of machine was used to damage the pitch at Crownhill Sports Ground

A cricket club has been forced to withdraw from the league after its pitch suffered criminal damage for the seventh time.

Westcroft Cricket Club, which has its main home ground at Crownhill Sports Ground in Milton Keynes, has had to pull out of the Northamptonshire Cricket League.

The damage occurred on 11 June when "every prepared playing surface was affected," said chief patron Azhar Zafar.

"This may appear to be a single act of vandalism," he said, but it was also "the latest incident in a sustained pattern of criminal damage... over the past two years".

News imageWestcroft Cricket Club A cricket pitch with a long, uneven trench of freshly dug turf running diagonally across the ground. The disturbed soil forms a rough line of clumps, contrasting with the otherwise green and well-maintained grass. In the background, there are houses, parked cars, and a line of trees under an overcast sky. Faint white and blue field markings are visible.Westcroft Cricket Club
Westcroft Cricket Club's Azhar Zafar said the damage placed "the future of league cricket at the venue in jeopardy"

Most incidents have happened at Crownhill which the club leases from Milton Keynes City Council.

The Willen Cricket Ground, which it rents on a per game per season basis, has also witnessed other acts of criminal damage, Zafar said.

At the start of the 2026 season, Westcroft Cricket Club invested approximately £10,000 in preparing and improving the square.

Following earlier incidents, the club also self-funded CCTV installation and additional security measures.

Zafar said that CCTV evidence suggested that bright floodlights may have been used to impair camera visibility before the latest damage was carried out.

He said the club now faced repair and reinstatement costs expected to exceed £15,000.

A Thames Valley Police spokesperson said officers carried out a thorough investigation but "due to a lack of available evidence, the investigation has been filed at this time, but it will be reviewed should any new information come to light".

News imageWestcroft Cricket Club A long line of freshly uprooted turf stretching across the middle of a cricket pitch. Large clumps of soil are scattered in a continuous strip, sharply contrasting with the surrounding green grass. In the background, trees, a fenced sports area, and distant houses line the edge of the open space. The cloudy sky casts a dull, even light over the scene, emphasizing the rough, disturbed ground.Westcroft Cricket Club
The club said that support was needed not only to repair the damage, but also to ensure that facilities could be protected in the future

After the damage to the pitch on 11 June, emergency repairs were carried out to allow some cricket to resume.

However, Zafar said that "whilst the surface has been stabilised, substantial further investment will be required if Crownhill is to host Northamptonshire Cricket League fixtures".

He described Westcroft as a grassroots community club which supported "senior cricket, junior cricket, youth coaching and is actively developing opportunities for women and girls to participate in the game".

He said that the club "remains determined to rebuild".

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