Devon Cricket Board - Bicton converting cricket ground for rugby

Bicton converting cricket ground for rugby

SIDMOUTH and Exeter are looking for new grounds to use for 3rd XI cricket next summer after losing their shared facility at Bicton College.

Bicton College agreed to rent the ground to Sidmouth in 2005 and Exeter have been their sub-tenants ever since.

When the teams moved in the college was largely a training establishment for the farming industry. Now it is a further education college with courses in far more subjects.

Rugby used to be a sport played at the college, along with cricket and soccer in the winter on the cricket pitch. Not any more.

Now rugby is a course in its own right at the college and needs space for the extra students attracted to it.

Sidmouth feel they are being turfed off a ground they have lavished care, attention and cash on despite verbal assurances to the contrary from college managers.

That’s not the case according to the college, who say no undertaking was ever given that cricket could continue on the ground, which has been used for county youth games and by the Devon senior team for Development XI matches.

“Following discussions with the college earlier in the summer, we had been given to believe we would be able to return to the ground in 2015 after an interval in 2014 while a rugby and soccer pitch were laid either side of the square,” said Sidmouth CC’s ground and house chairman John Goodwin.

“When we met college officials on July 12 we learned the ground would not be available to us next season, but were informed of the likelihood that we could return in 2015.

“We were promised quick written confirmation of this but, despite our prompting, received nothing until an email outlining the new developments arrived on August 30.

“To find this out so late in the day was disappointing and left us feeling somewhat let down. Our plans for the future will now have to hastily rethought.”

Goodwin said around £6,000 a year was spent by Sidmouth maintaining the ground, which was relayed in 2005 at a cost of £7,000 by the club.

He added: “We had ordered the materials for the end-of-season renovations which would have taken place despite no games being played there in 2014.

“Our ground staff have lavished much care and attention on the ground and one volunteer member became its unofficial caretaker.

“Cricketers loved playing at Bicton because the pitch and surroundings were so good. It is a great shame they will be lost to the game.”

Chris Lorimer, the deputy principal at Bicton College, denied any assurances or future undertakings were given concerning the continued use of the pitch at the July 12 meeting.

Lorimer said at that point there was a possibility cricket could continue to be played on the pitch, but it was never guaranteed.

“Demand for rugby pitches had increased and we want to create a new one to the north of where the cricket pitch is,” said Lorimer.

“As part of that work additional draining needed to be laid, which would have meant digging up the cricket pitch, which would have meant it could not be played on next year.

“The cricketers knew they would not be able to use the pitch next year. We said we would look at something the year after, but there was no mention of firm assurances.

“Now we find we have at least 60 players enrolled for the term ahead and need the space for them to play matches.

“For the time being we need the cricket pitch to play rugby on. Work is going on now and it will be in use before Christmas.

“The aim of the game is it will be a temporary ground. Hopefully, we can reinstate use as a cricket pitch at a future date.”

Lorimer said while it was attractive to have cricket played on the site, the college had to exist in a commercial world and the Rugby Programme in association with Exeter Chiefs was proving a big hit.

He added that plans for a cricket academy unveiled earlier this year had been shelved due to lack of student interest.

DCB Ltd, University of Exeter Sports Hall, Stocker Road, Exeter, Devon EX4 4QN Company Registration Number: 7024773