Brand new pitch at Ocean Grove may need to be replaced after fireworks set off

A new wicket that was laid on December 22 could be ripped up without a game being played on it after vandals struck on New Year’s Eve, leaving the strip ‘dangerous’.

Fireworks set off on Ray Menzies Oval damaged Ocean Grove’s new cricket pitch. Picture: Alan Barber

A brand new, unused pitch at Ocean Grove may need to be replaced after it was damaged by fireworks on New Year’s Eve, an act of vandalism the club has described as “deflating”.

The BPCA club started 2023 by discovering up to 12 spots of damage on the hard wicket pitch on Ray Menzies Oval, on a new strip that was laid on December 22.

Craters were left in the pitch.

After the fireworks were set off. Pictures: Alan Barber

The Grubbers had played home games away from their main ground as the new pitch was being installed and hadn’t played or trained on the new surface.

Ocean Grove is slated to host Jan Juc on the ground in an A1 match on Saturday.

Club president James Nessel said the damage wasn’t done to a “stump-to-stump” area of the wicket but he said the pitch was now “dangerous”.

“It is sort of on the fringes but it is still a live, in-play part of the pitch and I would think you would deem it to be dangerous at this stage and it would certainly need to be patched up,” he said.

The damage was deemed ‘dangerous’ by Ocean Grove president James Nessel. Picture: Alan Barber

“Whether it needs to be fully replaced, we will cross that bridge when we come to it.

“There’s about a dozen different spots on the pitch. It just looks like they have set the fireworks off. I know other clubs that have had this happen in the past and we have been lucky to avoid it (until now).”

Nessel said the club has reached out to Geelong Council and will work together on what repairs are needed.

“We are really hopeful of a quick solution so we can get on there,” he said.

“We are really happy with having a new pitch but it’s just deflating.

“To have something like this happen is disappointing.

“We will lean on (the council) a bit. They have more experience with this sort of stuff so they might have a temporary solution and we can work on a more permanent solution.”

Vandals have also got into the training nets. Picture: Alan Barber

Nessel said the club would consider putting covers on the pitch to ward off damage.

Vandals have also hit the club’s nets in recent weeks, ripping covers on the sides of nets and leaving graffiti on walls at the club.

“It’s part of a lot of vandalism around the town, we are not immune,” Nessel said.

“As disappointing as it is, we just have to deal with it and move on.”

Originally published as Brand new pitch at Ocean Grove may need to be replaced after fireworks set off