Shifnal forced to move because of pitch

Work costing £100,000 to level the outfield at Priorslee Road began last September, but has over-run due to the wet weather.

The club have received approval from the Birmingham League to play their first and second team home matches at Ellesmere CC, 33 miles away, and at Wrekin College, 21 miles distant, until the work is done.

The temporary switch is set to cost the club thousands of pounds in lost revenue as people are unlikely to use the club's social facilities for, at least, the first six weeks of the season.

Division Two opponents Coventry and North Warwick face a 171-mile round trip for their away match on June 16.

Shifnal start their Birmingham League season with a Shropshire derby at home to Bridgnorth on April 25, the first of five league fixtures due to be affected.

Club chairman Adrian Collins admitted the ground had failed a quality and safety review from the English Cricket Board.

He said: "It's a serious situation because of the revenue lost, but it's a short-term loss for a long-term gain because at the end we'll have an excellent facility.

"We've had the wettest October on record and we're not prepared to have the heavy machinery running over it until we get a decent dry spell.

"We've had volunteers on there with margarine tubs and buckets bailing water out.

"We will be playing there this season, but not until the end of June and we have made arrangements with the Birmingham League to play as close to Shifnal as possible at Ellesmere and Wrekin College."

Collins admitted the potential loss for the season would be "substantial," but refused to put a figure on it.

He added: "We will try to bring people back to the club and we're trying to get major events there."

While the firsts and seconds will play at Ellesmere and Wrekin College, the third and fourth teams will host their matches at the club's second team home at Weston Park.