Artificial wicket removed from Widemarsh Common

A Hereford cricket field which the great W G Grace is said to have played on will no longer be used to play the sport.

The artificial wicket on Widemarsh Common has been removed to make way to play more junior football on the site.

The common was one of the few remaining places anyone could turn up to play cricket in the city.

Its removal is a sign of the sports decline in Hereford itself with Herefordians being the only cricket club left playing in the city itself.

The illustrious All-England XI once attracted a crowd of over 3,000 to Widemarsh Common.

And the great former England captain W G Grace is also believed to have played there.

The old pub sign of the Sportsman, which was demolished in 2011, depicted the cricket hero.

The common is owned by Herefordshire Council but ii is currently managed by Hereford Lads Club.

Club chairman Graham Symons chairman said it had not been used to play cricket for some time and there is a growing demand for junior football.

“The plans are to remove it to provide more pitches for junior football,” he said.

A Herefordshire Council spokesperson said: “Widemarsh Common is owned by Herefordshire Council, but is currently licensed to Hereford Lads Club to manage and maintain.

“They would therefore make decisions relating to the facilities available.”