A CRICKET team has been forced to find another ground after a traveller invasion again threatened to hit its fixture list for six.

Capital Cricket Club is facing a second headache in 12 months after a dozen caravans and about 20 other vehicles got into the council-owned Doncaster Farm Playing Fields, off Chestnut Avenue, Eastleigh, for the second summer running.

Almost a year ago, huge tyre marks were etched across the square while a mountain of building rubble and rubbish wiped out the boundary.

Now the latest traveller invasion has forced the club, which plays in Hampshire South East Division 3, to switch its fixtures to Eastleigh's Fleming Park.

Club secretary Richie Stevens told the Daily Echo: "It is disgraceful what they have done. Unfortunately they seem to be a law unto themselves."

He added that the club was now considering moving away from the Doncaster Farm playing fields.

"We have had enough of it. We will be playing the rest of the season at Fleming Park and then we will be looking for another ground," he said.

Yesterday, the travellers moved off Doncaster Farm Playing Fields after the council began legal steps to evict them.

Now the clean-up operation is under way.

An Eastleigh Council spokesman said the bill would run into several thousands of pounds.

It involves clearing litter and bulk items, carrying out general repairs and reinstating the sports field.

The spokesman said: "The borough council has undertaken the necessary action to recover the land and served a direction notice on Friday, July 21 requesting the travellers to leave the site.

"Last year the council took action to secure the site through the provision of a height restriction barrier."