LETTER: Cricket South Africa and other stakeholders

Madam – After many years of meetings with the municipality, Cricket South Africa and other stakeholders, I have tendered my resignation as President of Newcastle and Districts Cricket Association.

It is an exasperating experience to ask for solutions to the same problems year in and year out. While we acknowledge some issues were successfully addressed, cricket in Newcastle is in keeping with our country, “junk status.”

1. The Paradise field, once the pride of Northern Natal, is in poor condition. The outfield is very poor. There are no boundary markers. The light bulbs are not replaced, though we have constant promises of, “it will be done next week.” The pitches are not always prepared and marked. There were times when the teams had to hire machinery at their cost and prepared the pitches themselves. This, despite the fact that the municipality receives the fixtures. The poor lighting and the condition of the outfield poses a danger to the players. We asked for power to be connected to the nets for the bowling machine. We were promised for the last three years and to date it hasn’t happened.

2. The Arbor Park field is in good condition but once again, there were times when the pitches were not prepared and marked. Our request for electricity at the nets for our bowling machine falls on deaf ears, despite constant promises.

3. We had eight teams registered last season and just two fields – Paradise and Arbor Park. We asked for the restoration of the Sutherland Street grounds and nothing has been done. We understand the financial constraints, and the fact that the budget for cricket is limited. But I was told that we, the municipality and the Cricket Association, could approach the private sector for funds. I haven’t had a call yet. Because of the lack of playing fields, we had to secure the use of Newcastle High School, and Ferrum High School cricket fields and the association had to pay for the use of the fields.

4. Over the years, the cricket association was given the fields from October 1st to March 31st and soccer had the fields from April 1st to September 30th. During the soccer season, cricket is never played, yet on many occasions when we get to the grounds for a fixtured cricket match, there are soccer matches in progress. On a few occasions the cricket teams were threatened. We asked for the goal posts to be taken and stored in the municipal depot until the commencement of the soccer season, but it’s never done. We were told by an insider in the municipality that a gentleman in the Amajuba Municipality arranges soccer matches during cricket season, without consultation, citing that the fields belong to the people and they can use them whenever they wish. We had to reschedule some games because of this. We do make allowance for the SALGA games during the cricket season.

There are other issues which affect us, but these are the main reasons for my throwing in the towel. Meeting with the municipality over the same issues is a waste of time because not much gets done.

I wish the new president the best of luck.

S. Francis

Response from the Editor:

The above letter was sent to the Municipal Communications Department for comment on June 7, 2016. To date, no response has been received, so the letter has been published as is.