The vast green playing fields of Blue Lake Sports Park have been the target of another Corella air raid and this time its cricket pitch was the target.

The venue was all ready to host the headline Hoggies Wines Barber Shield clash between last summer’s Grand Finalists Penola and North Sportsman’s.

However, in the days before the ninth round of the Mount Gambier and District Cricket Association season corellas swooped in and enjoyed a tasty treat from the unprotected Blue Lake Sports Park turf square.

It is the second time in as many months the high-class sporting arena has been torn to shreds by the feathered menaces.

At the beginning of the year the showpiece diamond of the baseball precinct was eaten alive by corellas leaving the outfield littered with divots.

This time the birds have been more selective, finding something juicy underneath the usually pristine pitch, but leaving the remainder of the ground untouched.

However, the turf pitch now resembles a dug-up potato farm with white feathers leaving enough evidence for all to see.

The only things left standing from the Corella carnage are the scarecrows and black tubes which are now redundant with the damage already done.

South Gambier captain and president Cam Jorgensen said the significant amount of damage left behind means play is impossible for the remainder of the summer.

“The whole pitch is covered in dirt and not in a good way,” he said.

“There are feathers everywhere, so the birds have had an absolute field day.

“It all came down to our B Graders a couple of games ago when they left the scarecrows off because an Under 14’s game was coming up in the morning.

“So, because the scarecrows were not on before the game they just assumed they did not need to put them back on afterwards and as soon as the birds saw nothing there they thought it was free for picking.”

The Blue Lake Sports Park cricket ground is becoming one of the Corellas’ favourite dinner plates.

Over the Christmas break last summer the entire square also received a pecking and the ground was out of action for four rounds.

Fortunately, Jorgensen said the latest incident is not quite as costly, with only one full home and away round left.

“Last year we came back after Christmas and it looked like the birds had taken to the pitch with shovels,” he said.

“The holes were 100mm deep and that was so bad we could not get back on it until the end of the season.

“This time damage is not as bad and it is just surface damage.

“But the birds managed to eat all of the grass, so we cant get a pitch back on it.

“We are going to start redressing it and get it all ready for next season.”

With the entre playing surface torn up, play will not be possible for the remainder of the season with the call officially made by MGDCA vice president Shane Dycer swiftly.

Although the timing is fortunate compared to last year’s incident, Jorgensen said it is still a massive blow of the Demons and the game more broadly.

“We consider our square to be one of the best in the league because there is no rise,” he said.

“So to lose it does not just hurt us, but it hurts every side because the B Grade miss a rare game on turf.

“Playing at home without any facilities hurts us because no one wants to come and watch because there are no toilets or canteens.

“But we love playing cricket at home, so hopefully moving the last round helps us and it’s a short-term thing.”

Reflecting on the pitch attack, Jorgensen said there is little more the club can do.

The club has been using scarecrows and poles to scare off the Corellas, but after the pitch was left unprotected, it was an open invitation for an ambush.

Jorgensen said everyone will be a lot more diligent and alert to protect the square going forward.

“The main thing is the scarecrows and black pipes that look like snakes because those things scare the birds away,” he said.

“I also think the high foot traffic with people going for walks or completing training also helps, but there is not really anything else we can do.

“The worst thing is they are after the roots of the grass and unfortunately we cannot get rid of those because we need grass to play.

“So it is a lose-lose battle because they are very clever animals knowing exactly where the food is and waiting for you to make a mistake.

“We will work together with the Association and they will do most of the stuff in terms of repairs.

“Gary Ashby and the league are the guys in the know so we will let them do what they like and go out of our way to help out and get it going to hopefully get a full season next year.”