Problem with local cricket club - is there some higher being we can go to?

**Abbie** · 01-09-2011, 04:56pm

I'm absolutely furious about this so forgive me if it turns into a rant

Our house, and 2 other houses back onto a cricket club. At the end of our garden is a gate which takes you to a public footpath which leads up to the park. Directly behind us is the cricket field which is fenced off with a waist high fence

When we moved there we knew it was there, but the bit where the batsman stands was the other side of the pitch and last summer it didn't cause us any hassle at all

Over the winter they had some stuff done on the pitch and now the batsman bit is up the end nearer our houses so all summer we've had countless balls over the back fence (as have the other 2 houses) and several smashed windows

We've all been over to the club several times to talk to them about putting up some nets as balls flying over our fences, and the public footpath is dangerous but the chairman refuses to do anything and is incredibly aggressive and won't be reasoned with. Last time our kitchen window got smashed I went over there and he called me a c*** and told me the club had been there 150 years and our houses only 8 years so I could f*** off. Which is fair enough I suppose, but I don't think asking for some nets is particularly unreasonable. Especially as they moved the pitch

We came home on Monday after a weekend away to find another smashed window, which also meant that our house was totally unsecured over the weekend

DH came home from work today to find a hole in the side of the guinea pig run with a cricket ball in the run and a guinea pig dragging his leg around so he has obviously been injured by it

The do pay for the broken windows, and they'll also be paying for any vet treatment and a new run, but we are now at the stage where we don't let the kids play in their own garden when they're playing in case they get hit (which is all weekend during the summer) garden ornaments het smashed, a gazebo was broken, etc, etc and I'm beginning to get completely fed up with it. It's our bloody garden FFS

Is there a higher being we can go to who can either force them to put nets up or move the pitch back to it's original position?

Tbh, the amount of ££ they've spent replacing our windows, the might as well have put nets up to begin with!

Thanks!

**Milkybargirl** · 01-09-2011, 05:01pm

As far as I know there are both health and safety and environmental issues which have to be covered whenever a golf course is being built for those exact reasons, so i can't see why they would not apply to the cricket club? I can't believe he was so rude to you either! one of your children could be killed if the took a ball in the head/face so there has to be a legal precedent that they have to put the nets up.

I'd imagine that your local council would be the starting point? and aside from just windows being smashed, what if somebody is on the the inside of the window when the ball comes through? you're at cohstant risk of injury?

**bubblewrap** · 01-09-2011, 05:02pm

Oh goodness am not surprised you are upset and angry! Would the police be interested? You've tried to compromise with them but to no avail, I'd say it's definitely antisocial behaviour!

**donna-j** · 01-09-2011, 05:05pm

have you tried this lot?

http://www.isleofwightcricketboard.co.uk/

**bubbasweet** · 01-09-2011, 05:14pm

I would be phoning anyone and everyone, police, council, Health and Safety executive etc. etc. You're not safe in your own property (and I'd include inside the house if balls are regularly smashing windows) and something needs to be done about it. Your poor little guinea pig too! Cricket balls can travel at considerable speed so it will have been quite a nasty whack for it :sad:

**Abbie** · 01-09-2011, 05:16pm

Thanks!

We did speak to the council as we thought they might be able to do something as the balls are flying over the public footpath but they've done nothing about it

I didn't know about the cricket board, I'll give them a try

It worries me that one of these days they'll hit one of the kids

Thanks!

Sorry, posting from my phone so missed some points. I'll try the HSE as well, didn't think of them

Thanks!

**kelly** · 01-09-2011, 05:18pm

I know our stock car club has to have public liability insurance and it specifically mentions catch fencing for flying materials to protect spectators.

You'd think that the club must have to have some sort of similar thing in their insurances?

I'd keep on at the council though because it's not right that you can't use your own garden for fear of cricket balls.

**Elvisola** · 01-09-2011, 05:19pm

Sorry but I would raise merry hell and not back down until something was done.

Your kids can't play in thier own garden in case some twat fires a cricket ball at them? I mean WTF!

Paying for windows and vet bills is all very well if it's the odd one off stray ball but it sounds like your in the direct path. No way would I let it go.

**Abbie** · 01-09-2011, 05:30pm

We're right in the middle, directly opposite the bit where the batting/bowling takes place so were right in the firing line

This is war now! They will put bloody nets up!

Eta, and no, I wouldn't mind if it was an occasional thing but they play all day Saturday and Sunday and most evenings during the summer and we find loads of balls in the garden, weve has to replace the kitchen window so many times were on first name terms with the local glazier

**redhed** · 01-09-2011, 05:35pm

I _think_ I'd take it to the police. I don't know where your nearest CAB would be, but it's worth talking to them first to make sure I've got this right. But you might be able to get them proceeded against for "nuisance"; the thought being that they would not just pay damages but also be fined, and that if the court thought the fine would not be sufficient they can be ordered to stop. It's reasonable that you should have quiet and safe enjoyment of your own garden, and they have rearranged their playing arrangements to make this impossible. It's helpful that there's a public footpath in the firing range as well; I can sort of see their argument re: how long the club has been there and their argument is presumably that if you buy a new house opposite an existing cricket club then you are the one who should be putting up the nets, not them. But you putting nets up won't protect the footpath which is a strong argument in your favour.

The ideal solution, I think, would be for the police to go round and have a word with them, and say that if they get enough complaints they will have to take it to court, and that (with costs, fines etc) will cost the cricket club more than putting nets up. And hopefully they'll see sense.

You need to keep logs, obviously, and you and your neighbours will probably have to make quite a few complaints to the police before they take it further.