Ball net approval saves two Sheffield teams at Yorkshire's oldest cricket ground

Hallam Cricket Club (HCC) has played at Sandygate for more than 200 years and continues to be one of the best clubs in Yorkshire.

Richard Storer, an official at the club, said in the meeting to decide whether HCC’s application should be approved: “Every time there is damage to property from a cricket ball, let alone personal injury, the first thing people say is ‘why haven’t you got netting to protect us?’

“There is a reasonably foreseeable risk, we can’t continue to ignore it. People often say they are happy to live with a risk until it directly affects them.

“Without the nets, two of our teams would have to stop playing cricket altogether.

“Without those teams we would lose all the adults and families that go with them. In Sheffield and nationally the number of clubs and grounds is reducing all the time and adult participation in sport is declining. We have been one of the few clubs where it has been expanding, without those teams we would lose the progression for our young players into adult cricket, we would lose the coaches who work with our juniors and the managers who run their teams - without those teams we would lose the volunteers who provide the human infrastructure of our club and opportunities for players and youngsters across Sheffield will decline.”

Paul Brindley, who spoke at the meeting on behalf of local residents, said they are very supportive of the club but there were ‘major’ concerns about the ‘disproportionate’ netting.

Councillor Andrew Sangar said: “Hallam Cricket Club have taken the advice of independent consultants in terms of the netting, clearly the risk of more sixes going out of that ground is greater than it has been any time since 1804 and I’m really keen we support participation in sport.”

Councillor Bob McCann added: “We try to encourage young people in sport, whatever that sport is, so whilst I’ve got some reservations about this I think on the whole I will be supporting this application.”

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