‘Destroyed’: Local football club South Croydon’s fury at winter cricket vandals

A suburban football club could be without its ground after a rogue cricket team allegedly ripped up the surface covering its pitch, causing thousands of dollars in damage. SEE THE VIDEO.

A suburban football club in Melbourne’s outer east could be without its ground after a rogue cricket team allegedly ripped up the surface covering its pitch, causing thousands of dollars in damage.

Eastern league Premier Division club South Croydon was left fuming after several members of winter cricket outfit Melbourne Punters were caught uncovering the Cheong Park pitch in order to stage a match on Sunday.

“The cricket pitch gets covered for football season with a different layer of grass … and they’ve decided they need a ground to play cricket and ripped the cover off and destroyed it,” South Croydon senior coach Brendan Allen said.

“It’s an $8000 replacement, probably defined as criminal damage.

“One of our supporters was walking past and caught them in the act.”

Vision captured by the supporter and obtained by this masthead shows the cricketers allegedly defacing the pitch.

Melbourne Punters play in the Champions Cricket League competition, which runs during the football season.

Allen said there had been reports of similar groups offending at football grounds across Melbourne.

“These guys are lobbing on grounds everywhere in the suburbs on Sundays and playing their T20 league – it’s all organised,” Allen said.

“If it’s pouring rain in the middle of winter, they’re there.”

South Croydon and the Maroondah Council now face a race against time to get the ground repaired for this weekend, with a home game against Rowville scheduled for Saturday.