Cricket club rebounds from trauma of Nazi vandalism

Less than two years after its clubhouse was daubed with swastikas and racist slurs, a cricket club has unveiled its new, secure training facilities.

Llandaff Cricket Club, which was target by vandals in October 2022, has described the new facilities as a “critical step” on its journey of growth and recovery.

The new, secure net facilities were funded in part by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), Street Games Wales and Sport Wales, combined with grassroots funding from the local community through the Club’s Bounce Back Better Fund launched in the wake of the shocking far-right vandalism of the club’s home.

Merger

The club, which was formed from a merger of Cardiff Gymkhana Cricket Club and Welsh Asians in September 2019, has many members from Cardiff’s South Asian community who have been typically underrepresented in the higher echelons of the game, despite making up much of the grassroots membership.

Last year, the ECB announced £2million of funding to specifically address this disparity.

The club has grown from fielding 13 teams across all genders and age groups in 2021, to 20 in 2023, and has around 200 members. This includes a sizable growth in the club’s female player-base, which the club says is “currently one of our top priorities”.

Rebound

Club Chairman, Sohail Rauf, said the club’s rebound “proves what can be achieved when communities come together and work in partnership with local representatives and political leaders”.

“We owe a huge debt of gratitude to everyone who helped make this happen,” he added.

Our members, our volunteers, our sponsors, our founders, Cardiff Council and everyone who donated to and shared our crowdfunder. We reserve special thanks to the advice we’ve received from Cricket Wales whose support has been immense.

“Ultimately what this means is greater access to safe, outdoor team sports for children in central Cardiff regardless of their circumstances. That can only be a good thing for our community.”