A cricket club has vowed to play on despite having part of its pitch dug up by vandals.

Large pieces of turf on several wickets at Rawdon Cricket Club were dug up and chunks of soil and turf strewn about the Larkfield Road ground.

Club cricket secretary Lawrence Walker believes it was a calculated attack, intended to cause maximum damage to the ground and disruption to the club.

Mr Walker said: "This mindless attack was perpetrated by someone with a knowledge of the game and was obviously premeditated."

Large chunks of the ground were dug up with a spade at both ends of one wicket, which had been specially prepared by ground staff for the club's first team game against Knaresborough in the Airedale and Wharfedale League last weekend. The turf was dug out on a bowler's length and in line with the stumps, which is a crucial area of play in the game.

An Under-17 match this evening had to be cancelled because the damage made it impossible to play, although the important first team fixture against Knaresborough went ahead - which Rawdon won by eight wickets - after ground staff managed to prepare another wicket in time for Saturday.

They managed to clear up the soil strewn about the pitch, and fill in the holes, but officials fear the after-effects of the attack may last for the rest of the season.

The vandals also damaged two other wickets, including the centre wicket, and a germination mat on a repaired wicket was destroyed.

Mr Walker said the ground staff fear the damage to the centre wicket was so severe the club will be lucky to play on it again this season.

He added: "The groundsmen and committee are at a total loss as to what pleasure the mindless morons who carry out such acts gain from it. Perhaps these low-lifes would like to meet our head groundsman on a one-to-one basis."

Detective Inspector Steve Payne of Weetwood Police said the attack appears to have been a one-off incident, and said it is not being linked to any other attacks by vandals. He urged anyone with information to call Weetwood Police on 0113 2413459.

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