Members of a popular cricket club are picking up the pieces after vandals damaged their venue, amid a string of youth unrest in the region.
Caloundra Cricket Club players are ‘livid’ after teenagers targeted their main field during the school holidays.
Police are investigating an incident of wilful damage, with initial reports indicating an e-scooter caused damage to the usually pristine Roy Henzell Oval, which has hosted international games.
Club president Alex Cottrell said the property manager saw “about seven juveniles on the field doing donuts”.
He said the wicket square, which includes about six pitches at various stages of growth, were in great condition before the episode.
“The groundsmen worked pretty much for free during the mid-season break to get the decks in good condition,” he said.
“And the wickets were nice and wet from a bit of rain, so they were great.”
“Then this happens.
“They (the youths) have gone out there on their electric scooter and ripped it up.”
He said it was a serious blow to the club and it would be an expensive and lengthy recuperation.
“It’s going to take months to recover,” he said.
“Grass doesn’t grow overnight, especially this stuff.
“It’s disappointing, the players are very livid with the whole thing.
“It’s just disgusting. It costs money and we will have to wait months for them (the pitches) to grow back before we can use them, which puts us out of kilter for the season.
“I know the players are outraged and I’m pretty sure the community will be disappointed too.”
Mr Cottrell, whose son Elias could be the youngest groundsman in the country, said up to four pitches were significantly damaged.
“We usually have six wickets, so we can alternate using them during the season, but now we will be limited to two or three, and for a tier-one club that’s very difficult to do,” he said.
Mr Cottrell said the youths returned to the scene afterwards and milled around the shelter between fields. Photos and footage were taken of them and passed on to police.
Mr Cottell believed the region “from Pelican Waters to Kawana” had been targeted by youths in recent times.
“We do hear quite a bit (from locals) about it going on,” he said.
“Up until now, we have been a bit sheltered at the club because we asked police to do an extra drive-past … but it’s like the kids have come to the end of the school holidays and they’re bored, and they feel the need to rip around.”
Police said investigations were ongoing regarding the incident and they appealed to anyone with information to come forward.
Senior Constable Shannon Dowd said youths had recently caused disturbances at shopping centres and sports and recreational venues, aside from more serious crimes.
“There has been disrespect for authority figures,” he said.
“They’ve been at the shopping centre abusing security staff and management.
“The damage to the cricket field was disgusting.”
He said “one to two per cent” of youths were causing problems.
“The majority of kids are sitting at home or down the beach with their friends or working part-time jobs but there is an element in Caloundra – some kids who seem to have no boundaries at the moment and don’t have any respect for other people’s properties or rules.”
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