A HIGHLAND Perthshire cricket club that dates back to 1869 has vowed to carry on despite suffering a devastating fire to its pavilion.
Members of the Breadalbane Cricket Club met this week to decide the historic club’s future after it was put in jeopardy following the blaze, which completely wrecked their clubhouse in Victoria Park, Aberfeldy, on November 27.
The club’s old wooden hut, which was believed to have been built after the Second World War, was left in a “pile of ashes” after the blaze.
The pavilion contained nearly all the team’s playing and training equipment, including some members’ own cricket gear.
Tayside Police have confirmed that they are still making inquiries into the matter, but Mark Bridgeman (47), junior coordinator at Breadalbane Cricket Club, is in no doubt that it was an act of “selfish vandalism” that cast doubts on the club’s future.
However, an emergency general committee meeting has led to a concerted effort to raise sufficient money to enable the club to continue playing in the Strathmore and Perthshire District Union Division 1 next season.
Members estimate that it will cost around £5,000 to build a new clubhouse.
Last night, Mr Bridgeman told The Courier that it is important to let people know how much damage acts like this can cause.
“We reckon we need to raise a couple of thousand pounds straight away so we will be ready to start the new season,” he said.
“This would need to be followed by anything up to £5,000 for a suitable building.”
He continued: “Following the fire, the future of this 143-year-old cricket club literally went up in smoke.
“A selfish act of vandalism saw the club’s small pavilion transformed to ashes in a matter of hours.
“Despite the best efforts of the local fire brigade, the building was completely destroyed and, with it, the possible future of the club.
“An emergency general meeting of the committee soon followed, with many people worried that the club would have to withdraw from the league unable to compete when the new season starts, in less than five months’ time.”
Mr Bridgeman said that the club decided to carry on due to various factors.
“With so many players wanting to ensure cricket continues and with so many juniors enjoying the game, the right decision was to carry on as a club and launch an urgent appeal for support to save this club from extinction,” he added.
“The club urgently needs donations of funds and equipment in order to be able to begin the season in April next year.”
The club has also posted an appeal on Facebook, entitled Breadalbane Cricket Club Appeal, and state that it has already had encouraging signs of support.
Breadalbane Cricket Club won the Strathmore Cricket Union Division 1 championship in 2008 and won the Perthshire Cup in 2007 and 2008.
preoch@thecourier.co.uk