However those fears at Bungay Cricket Club have been allayed after the community rallied round the family-friendly organisation.
Thanks to the generosity of locals the square has been re-laid so it is ready batters and bowlers to fight it out on.
In February, club officials discovered vandals had used a substance, believed to be weedkiller, to damage the ground at the Maltings Meadow in Ditchingham.
This prompted a police investigation and left the club facing a repair bill of more than £2,000.
Police have closed the case after people covered Bungay Cricket Club’s grounds in weedkiller (Image: Bungay Cricket Club)
Jim Howlett, club chairman, said: “We’ve been absolutely bowled over by the response to our problems.
“The support we’ve received from both the local community and the wider cricket family has been absolutely incredible.
“We have received some really generous donations from individuals and a grant from Bungay Town Trust to help towards the cost of the repairs.”
Bungay Cricket Club is a family-friendly, sociable and progressive community club on the Norfolk/Suffolk border (Image: Bungay Cricket Club)
There were fears the wanton vandalism would mean the club would have to divert funds away from developing its youth and women’s programme, as three new teams were set to play this season – a women’s hardball team, an under-9 team and an under-17 team.
However, as a result of the donations, the club is now able to implement its plan to launch the three teams.
The Bungay & District Sports Association is home to the town’s cricket, football, and tennis club (Image: Bungay & District Sports Association)
The club has now installed more surveillance equipment, which covers the square and all other sports field areas, and is continuing to review existing footage to identify the vandals.
Police have since dropped their search for the suspects, and a Norfolk Constabulary spokeswoman confirmed all lines of enquiry have been “exhausted”, and the case has been closed.
The club is hosting a social evening on Saturday, April 25, to redouble fundraising efforts from 7pm at the Crisp Maltings Pavilion. It includes live music from Full9Yards and a barbecue.