Bowlers attacked by gang of yobs

A GANG of yobs left two crown green bowlers needing hospital treatment after launching a vicious matchday attack.

Trouble flared when teenage thugs pelted cars with stones at Werneth Cricket and Bowling Club.

The match — between Werneth and Shaw Comrades — had to be abandoned when the youths then turned violent on the bowlers.

A brawl left a 63-year-old Werneth player with two broken fingers. A 57-year-old team mate who rushed to his aid was kicked in the legs and punched in the face as he fell.

The bowlers were rescued when burly cricketers, playing on a neighbouring pitch, heard the commotion and wrestled the main troublemaker to the ground.

An 18-year-old man and a boy (16) have been arrested by poice.

It has since emerged that the man who was kicked suffers from a heart condition. He needed to use his angina medication before going to hospital for a second time on Monday.

Work colleagues became concerned about him and doctors diagnosed bruising to his ribs and tissue damage. He was off work for two days.

His bowling colleague needed an operation to the fingers on his bowling hand.

He said: “My hand is still strapped up. I will have to see an orthopaedic surgeon. It’s too soon to tell how soon I can get back to bowling, it could be three weeks, six weeks or the rest of the season.”

The trouble began after the youths were told to get off the roofs and bonnets of parked cars when the bowlers arrived at the club, where Werneth and Radcliffe second XI cricketers were also playing.

As the teenagers left they threw stones and one hit a parked car.

They returned during the bowls match and when a player asked who had thrown the stone which hit the car, the fighting began.

One player said: “They gave a lot of verbal abuse and the main trouble-maker was goading a player to hit him, but he refused.

“Another bowler was kicked in the leg and shin — then punched.

“A bowler grabbed hold of the attacker and wrestled him to the ground, then two of the biggest cricketers got him in a bear hug until police arrived.”

Shaw captain Carol Rowe added: “Crown green bowlers are predominately elderly. I think the gang came back to the ground to cause trouble. It was horrendous and I was very shaken.”

Police confirmed they were called after a car had been damaged and two men assaulted on Saturday.

A spokeswoman said: “A 57-year-old man was punched and kicked and suffered swelling to his cheek and nose. A 63-year-old man suffered an injury to his fingers.

“An 18-year-old man and 16-year-old boy were arrested and have been bailed until August 22.”