Reward offered over vandalised pitch

The Victorian Turf Cricket Association has offered a $5,000 reward for information about an act of pitch vandalism that cost a side a chance to earn a place in the finals.

The centre wicket at Skinner Reserve in Sunshine was destroyed by vandals ahead of Saturday's match between Sunshine Heights and the Kingsville Baptist Cricket Club, a match Kingsville needed to win to qualify for the competition finals.

Quick Single: Pitch destroyed on eve of much-win clash 

Players arrived to find the covers drawn back and sections of the pitch dug up, with an oily substance also spread across the surface.

Kingsville had needed 140 runs with nine wickets remaining to win the game and qualify for the finals, but the sabotaged wicket meant the match was declared a draw and Kingsville missed the top four.

Given Sunshine Heights was second from bottom and seemingly had nothing to gain from the match being drawn, the teams that finished ahead of Kingsville have naturally come under suspicion.

The VTCA has offered the reward for any information about those responsible, with President Steve McNamara condemning the "despicable and callous act of vandalism".

"Severe ramifications will result if evidence provided implicates another VTCA affiliated club with involvement or prior knowledge of this act occurring," McNamara said in a statement.

"May I also take this opportunity to express once again the VTCA's deepest sympathy to all at Kingsville Baptists CC on this most heinous act. 

"I am extremely confident there are people out there with knowledge of what occurred and know the people responsible.

"This is not the sort of practice we are accustomed to in the great game of cricket and I trust the vast majority of people reading this would be as appalled as we all are with the matter at hand.

"This would be a win for the cricket fraternity as a whole if we can catch those people responsible."

McNamara said the VTCA was working closely with Maribyrnong Council and Victoria Police as well as both Cricket Victoria and Cricket Australia.

Cricket Victoria chief executive Tony Dodemaide condemned the act and backed the VTCA's decision to offer a reward.

"The VTCA have offered the reward for information, which I have not heard of before," Dodemaide told Fairfax.

"I think that is unprecedented and I welcome that decision. It's easy to be angry and jump to conclusions but we do need evidence.

"It would be hugely disappointing to find out it is someone from the cricket family but that is the direction it is pointing at the moment, given the covers were pulled back although Skinner Reserve in the past has been subject to vandalism."

Kingsville club treasurer Peter Hardeman said it was clear the vandalism was a deliberate act of sabotage.

"The sad thing about it - the covers were there and the covers were pulled off. Someone who did it knew what they were doing," Hardeman told Triple M.

"It looked like a shovel or a sharp object had been used.

"They had dug up areas at both ends of the pitch. It reminded me of a ploughed field.

"There was also an oily substance that had been poured all along the pitch."