A VALE cricket club was left on a sticky wicket after raiders stole its motorised pitch roller.

Thieves struck at Peopleton Cricket Club overnight last Friday just hours before the team played a home match.

Groundsman Dougie Ireland discovered the green Bomag roller, believed to be valued at about £750, had vanished from outside the equipment hut at the Main Street ground at about 2pm last Saturday.

Club captain Richard Burt said all the equipment needed to start the roller had also been taken.

He added: "Dougie had rolled the pitch several times during the week but when we discovered that the roller had been taken we had to get another old roller which we just about managed to get to roll the pitch once we'd got a starting handle for it.

"It's just a petty theft, which is rather aggravating and annoying, especially when it happens to groups like sports clubs.

"But there were plenty of runs scored on the pitch at the weekend so there can't have been that much wrong with it."

He also said that the club had three home matches left before the end of the season and that members of the committee would be looking into the possibility of borrowing a roller from another club to help get the pitches ready for the games.

Police believe a vehicle would have been used to steal the roller and are asking anyone with information to contact them on 01905 723888, quoting c/617217.