Deal saves cricketers' fixtures

For more than 35 years, Wolvercote Cricket Club has played its home matches at Cutteslowe Park, North Oxford.

But just weeks before the start of the 2007 season it was facing closure after the pitch was rented to another club.

Without a home ground and with its first league game looming on Saturday, May 5, it looked like the club had hit its final boundary.

But a deal was struck and Wolvercote CC, which plays in Oxfordshire Cricket Association division six, lives to fight another season.

The club that had taken over Cutteslowe Park, Oxford Cricket Club's fifth side, has agreed to move to another pitch in Sunningwell.

John Chrystal, Wolvercote's vice captain was delighted with the result.

He said: "We are absolutely chuffed because we were going to be folding, there was no two ways about that."

Confusion over the pitch booking at Cutteslowe Park started in January.

Wolvercote emailed its booking request to park-owners Oxford City Council in January as usual.

But when the club contacted the council in March to confirm the booking they were told the form had not been received because it was emailed to an officer who no longer worked at the council - and the pitch had been rented to another team.

Mr Chrystal said the club was originally angry the council had not followed up the missing form from loyal customers.

He said: "It seems to me that if you have tenants for 35 years and you don't get a request you might give them a call."

But he said the council had worked hard to resolve the issue and he was delighted with the outcome.

He also thanked Rupert Evans, of Oxford Cricket Club, for agreeing to swap pitches.

Mr Chrystal said playing further afield was not an option for Wolvercote which had a lot of younger players who walked or cycled to the ground.

Oxford City Council said - due to high demand - bookings were dealt with on a first-come first-served basis.

A spokesman said: "We worked closely with the team to come to a mutually agreeable solution."