VANDALS STRIKE AT BALLYSPALLEN

Just weeks after making representations to the North West to re-join the league in 2012, Ballyspallen Cricket Club has been targetted by vandals causing fairly extensive damage to areas of the clubhouse and also the pitch covers.

Ballyspallen withdrew from the league for the second time in 6 years just before the start of the 2011 season following an internal split however it is unclear if the attack was an isolated incident or whether it is linked in any way to attacks at other North West grounds at the end of 2009.

A spokesperson for the club said that "the doors to the club had been forced open and sinks and other appliances had been smashed. Paint had been thrown around the inside of the toilets and changing room areas but the more worrying aspect of the attack was that the covers had been slashed with a knife".

The spokesperson said that they "had no idea why anyone in their right mind would contemplate attacking a small, hard-working club" but that "if the intention was to scare us off or prevent us from re-joining the league then it had failed miserably".

"Ballyspallen Cricket Club is 100% determined to play North West cricket at our ground as soon as is possible. We have already sounded out the Union who have obviously asked us to provide evidence that we will be in a position to maintain our place and we have offered both a constitution and a list of players, all of whom have made a financial committment already. We are aware that the Union is currently looking at the league structures generally and we hope to receive positive news once those deliberations are complete. We certainly won't be put off by some wanton destruction".