Cricket on the Piece - True Costs Four Times Higher

9.22.59pm GMT Fri 4th Mar 2005

City Lib Dems have called "No ball" over Labour's "Fantasy figures" to save cricket on Parkers Piece. "They just haven't done their homework", says Cllr Joye Rosenstiel, the Executive Councillor in charge of leisure services.

She goes on to add:

"Their back-of-the-envelope figure of £3000 to restore the game to Parkers Piece falls woefully short of the true sum needed. £3000 would just about get a village wicket mowed for a season. Maintaining the wicket on Parkers Piece would cost at least four times that figure - around £12,000 a year. The pitch at Parkers Piece is double the size of an average village ground and the council is responsible for keeping it maintained throughout the winter. They haven't taken any of those costs into account.

"While I am open to discuss with local clubs how we can move ahead on this, I only wish that the Labour party in Cambridge would use real figures to make their case. £3000 to restore cricket on the Piece? I've heard of Fantasy Football, but this just isn't cricket"