Village cricket clubs could lose fixtures

Seven water companies are introducing the statutory ban from April 5, preventing clubs who do not stage international or national fixtures from using water to maintain their playing surfaces. Exemptions have also been granted to events of national sporting importance, ensuring the Olympic Games is unaffected. With most sports clubs using metered water, providers have an instant sight of consumption rates. And clubs whose usage spikes beyond that of last summer, when no ban was enforced - or even remains flat year on year - could face a £1,000 fine. It is set to “cause havoc” at grounds around the country, according to Ian Lacy, the IoG’s head of professional services. You could get towards the end of this season without any watered pitches, leading to cancellations because the pitches are unfit to play,” said Lacy. “There have sometimes been some dry summers over the past 20 years and even with watering we’ve been close to that. “Water is essential to preparing good quality, safe wickets in cricket. "A lot of small cricket clubs’ finances are on a knife-edge and if several have to cancel fixtures through unplayable surfaces it could put them out of business. Clubs rely on their fixtures taking place.” On Tuesday the ECB issued advice for its community clubs, saying: “Cricket clubs need to secure an agreement to water their pitches from their water company and the ECB strongly urges all clubs to begin a dialogue with their water company now to influence the final stages of their consultation with local users.” In the Australian state of Victoria in 2009, club cricket was cancelled for a year as drought conditions took their toll. Using Victoria’s experience as an example, the ECB is working with clubs on strategies for water usage, including rainwater-storage tanks and greywater recycling and seed technology. Water equivalent to a single household’s weekly usage would keep a cricket pitch playable for a year. “It is not necessary yet, but 25 years down the line some league cricket may have to be played on synthetic pitches as is the case in a lot of Victorian sub-district cricket,” Bruce Cruse, the ECB’s national funding and facilities manager said. Water UK, the industry association, says water companies are in a consultation phase and inviting applications for limited exemptions from the ban. It says the water companies have “a community-based approach” and will look at every case on its merits. Thames Water, one of the seven companies to have imposed a temporary ban, says groundsmen must use watering cans to moisten playing surfaces. However it will permit discretionary use of sprinklers if pitches become dangerous. “If it is not possible to use watering cans and it is felt that playing cricket on an extremely dry square could potentially lead to health and safety issues, then the prohibition will not prevent the watering of the square,” said a spokeswoman for Thames Water. But, she stressed: “Not the outfield. This would only allow sufficient water to make the square safe to play on. "We would make a robust challenge to any club who was watering excessively for this purpose.” Sports organisations are sceptical about how committed water companies will be in assisting them through their operational challenges. The Sport and Recreation Alliance, an umbrella group for all sports organisations, sounded the alarm. “Let’s put this in perspective,” said a spokesman for the SRA. “Just two years ago, water companies made operating profits of £3.5 billion between them. "So it seems pretty unfair for your average sports club to be paying the price. “This is a key time for our community sports clubs and it would be a huge shame if they had to turn people away at the doors because of underinvestment in our water infrastructure and the restrictions on use that that has created.” Both the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said the water companies should be the final arbiters. “Having water in your taps is more important than a sports event,” said a government spokeswoman. “Unfortunately, if a sports club is unhappy with the decision made regarding exemptions they either comply or face the risk of prosecution.”