Vandals tear up Katikati cricket turf

Brody Gilroy says the club is "gutted" at the recent vandalism of the grounds. Photos / Rebecca Mauger

Katikati Cricket Club members have been left “disheartened” by vandalism after vehicles were used to rip the turf to shreds.

The members now face hours of extra time and expense correcting the damage done last weekend.

Club president and groundsman Ben Warren said he had arrived on Saturday morning to prepare the grounds, which are shared with Katikati Football Club, for the upcoming match that day.

He discovered that “pathetic vandals” had done skids and doughnuts overnight across the entire turf, causing deep grooves and divots.

Drone photo of the damage. Photo / Phillip Magnussen

The perpetrators had broken through the bollards at Moore Park. It was believed a ute had been involved due to some items left at the scene.

The game on Saturday was able to go ahead but club members and volunteers spent hours the following day putting down topsoil and levelling the turf.

Katikati Cricket Club’s Facebook page said the damage would require “considerable time and expense and a huge effort to repair”.

“The grooves are deeply into the turf. This unique turf surface only grows during the hot part of the year.”

Club treasurer and senior captain Brody Gilroy said everyone was gutted to see the damage.

“It just feels like you’re trying to do something healthy and productive on a Saturday and also provide a space for the club and the community, and it’s this counter-productive, antisocial behaviour like this that’s kind of frustrating.”

The vandalism was “disheartening” due to the considerable time that went into maintaining the turf, he said.

Brody Gilroy beside the grooves which have now been filled in with topsoil. Photo / Rebecca Mauger

“Ben does the majority of this work, making it one of the nicest places to play in the Bay of Plenty and other teams notice as well.

“Lots of hours go into it . . . it might just seem like a patch of grass but for a sport or a club, it’s our patch of grass.”

The club is offering a reward should the culprits be identified. Gilroy urged anyone with information to get in touch via messaging on the Katikati Cricket Club Facebook page.

Katikati Police were unavailable for comment but were looking into CCTV in the area.