The break-in on Wednesday knocked treasurer Tim Hore for a six, because the majority of the equipment stolen was unique to the club, pretty much unsellable and no good to anyone but the club's 120 members.

"They've taken a heap of our cricket balls, which is unusual, not something they can sell," Mr Hore told the Mercury.

"These balls are Sommers brand, you don't buy them in retail stores or anything like that.

"They are unique to South Coast Cricket and Sydney associations."

Also stolen by thieves who cut the locks of the clubhouse in Lake Illawarra was club-branded jumpers, shirts and other uniforms and four sets of stumps.

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"We think it was opportunistic, they just walked past and thought 'lets see what's in here'.

"The got out their bolt cutters and got in, then thought this isn't very exciting," Mr Hore said.

"My wife found stuff scattered down the laneway ... we managed to get enough balls back to play this weekend."

Mr Hore said the club didn't have insurance because it had never had any need for it.

"It's a brand new club house.

"All of that stock has always been kept at my place, or the captains. There was no real need for us to have that sort of insurance.

"Unfortunately now we are going to have to."

Police attended the scene and took fingerprints.

Mr Hore is appealing to anyone who has information to come forward.

"At the end of the day we just want our gear back, it's no good to anybody else, they can't even use it for backyard cricket, they are hard balls," he said.

"The sad thing is each year we just break even. Occasionally we will run at a loss, sometimes just over, or break even.

"It will take five years to get that sort of money back that we've lost."

Anyone with information is urged to call Lake Illawarra police or CrimeStoppers on 1300 333 000.