Howzat! Club’s run of bad luck

CRICKETERS are used to hearing that rain stopped play.

But rain, a company collapse and the prolonged drought have all conspired to stump the players and officials at Upper Hopton CC.

Their pitch at Jackroyd Lane is currently unplayable after a series of setbacks – meaning the club is having to “borrow” the field at Stainland for the next few weeks.

The club’s first match at that venue will be a second team fixture against Sowerby tomorrow.

Upper Hopton representative Jack Carson said: “We’re the victims of circumstances which were beyond our control.”

Last September, the club secured a grant from Sport England for work to improve the drainage at its Sutcliffe Memorial Ground.

But ironically, heavy rain hampered progress over the winter – before the company that was contracted to carry out the work went into administration, leaving its machinery sitting on the outfield.

A second contractor was brought in and a series of slits were put into the field as part of measures to improve the drainage – just in time for the heatwave to hit, widening the slits as the field dried out and making it too dangerous for play. “It was a bit risky in terms of running around,” Mr Carson said.

Sand has been put down as part of work to fill the cracks – leaving part of the field looking like a beach – but Mr Carson said it was hoped the pitch would be playable again in the next few weeks.

The club plays in the Spenser Wilson Halifax Cricket League, having previously competed in the now defunct Huddersfield Central Cricket League.

Mr Carson added: “The contractors have more work to do, but we hope to get back soon.”

He said Upper Hopton was able to use Stainland’s pitch without causing a fixture pile-up because Stainland currently has no Saturday team.

And he added: “As soon as the weather gets back to normality we will be back.”