PROGRESSIVE Guisborough have called a halt to major development at their Fountains Garth ground - until they can fence themselves in.
Guisborough, members of the Darlington Building Society North Yorkshire and South Durham League, have completed pavilion development and now have some of the best changing and social facilities in the area.
But the club's cricket committee have decided that until a fence is erected no further major expenditure will be made on the ground.
And they have four good reasons for wanting to be fenced in:
l To prevent people taking a short cut across the square.
l To stop the ground being used as an exercise area for dogs.
l Sightscreens are regularly pushed all over the ground.
l Wooden seating has been vandalised.
Guisborough have no covers and Dave Norminton, cricket section chairman, said: "Without covers we do not meet the criteria for Premiership grounds set out by the league.
"Covers would not last five minutes because of all the vandalism we, and the rugby club, are experiencing."
Guisborough are worried that crucial games may be lost to the weather and perhaps, just as important, for the prestige of the club, they will not be awarded league representative and cup final games - matches they contend the new development deserves and needs.
Guisborough first team members have set up a "Fence Fund" and the first money-raising event is a sponsored 17-mile walk from Whitby to Saltburn on August 13.
Mr. Norminton added: "The first team players came up with the idea of a fund and most of them will be taking part in the walk."
l Club coach Graham Shaw had a remarkable seven-day period last month when he scored 340 in four matches without being dismissed.
His top score was 133 against Darlington in a league match followed by 91 against Whitburn in the National Club Knock-out competition. He took 71 off the Seaton Carew attack in the Kerridge Cup and finished five short of a half century against Thornaby in the MacMillan Cup.
Guisborough play their delayed home Kerridge Cup quarter-final tie with Northallerton on Tuesday.
Redcar: Steve Oldham takes a Yorkshire Academy team to play a Redcar Select team on Wednesday (11.30 am) in a 50-overs match forming part of the 150th anniversary celebrations.
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