Blue Mountains Police have confirmed they are investigating an incident where a man wielded an axe at a cricket player following hours of verbal abuse towards players at a cricket match in Hazelbrook.
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The incident is alleged to have occurred on the afternoon of Saturday November 11 after a group of men had been drinking at the Hazelbrook Bowling Club after watching the Socceroos play a World Cup qualifying match against Honduras on the TV.
A witness alleged about 15 males came down to the nearby cricket field where a game was in process and started verbally abusing the cricket players – five of the hecklers were allegedly wearing Hazelbrook Hawks football club shirts.
Blue Mountains Local Area Command acting inspector, Matthew Cavanagh confirmed the incident.
"Police are currently investigating a public order incident which occurred at Gloria Park, Hazelbrook, in the afternoon of Saturday, 11 November between 3.30pm and 4.45pm.”
“It is alleged that a number of males were involved in anti-social behaviour towards persons involved in a cricket match with a man arming himself with an axe.”
A police spokesman later told the Gazette: “The males started acting in an offensive manner, swearing at players, including at children. Some of the males removed their clothes in front of young players.”
Hazelbrook Football Club president Billy King denied the club was involved. “There was one young fella in the club in Hazelbrook football club attire … and nobody else.”
He said the club had prepared a full report for the Nepean District Football Association and added about the incident that “I can’t control the actions of individuals”.
Blue Mountains Cricket Association CEO Ian Strudwick confirmed an incident occurred during a First Grade men’s cricket match between Wentworth Falls and Hazelbrook and the “game was called off”.
“It’s a difficult situation and I’m not going to speculate. I was only there for the last 10 minutes and wasn’t involved, but I’ve since heard a lot about it.” Mr Strudwick said he was leaving the matter to the police. The game would need to be replayed and the matter brought up at a coming board meeting.
A witness told the Gazette “[cricket] players were threatened with physical violence ... a streaker tried to tackle the stumps .. I’m disgusted about it”. The witness added: “They used all sorts of colorful language … one 13-year-old was personally abused.”
A parent of a 13-year-old playing for one of the teams said: “It was quite an incident, one [man] dropped their pants and brown-eyed.”
Wentworth Falls Cricket Club secretary Tony Gasparre said: “The identity of the person [with an axe] is a bit in doubt. Some of the offending group seemed to be from the Hazelbrook Football Club. They were wearing their paraphernalia. It was really disturbing. I wasn’t there but I have been collecting information all week.”
He continued: “It was drunken yobbo behaviour that escalated .. he waved an axe and threatened [a man] between the club and the oval when a player asked them to behave. We trust the Hazelbrook Football Club and the Nepean District Association to investigate the matter.”
The Gazette left messages for the Hazelbrook Bowling Club’s president Phil Daniels and Nepean District Association general manager Linda Cerone. A woman from the bowling club confirmed men were asked to leave the premises on the day but said the incident had occurred away from the club.
Police are reviewing TV footage from inside the club and investigations are ongoing. To help contact Springwood Police on 4751-0299.
