The Big Bash League (BBL 13) 2023 match between Melbourne Renegades and Perth Scorchers had to be called off on Sunday after the umpires deemed the pitch at the Geelong Stadoum, Victoria wasn't fit to be used for the match.
Since the start of the BBL 2023-24 match, the pitch had been acting up; there was a wet region on the field that is particularly unnerving for the batters because if the ball landed anywhere on the damp patch, it bounce awkwardly, which was harmful for the batters.
In match 4 of the BBL 2023-24, Melbourne Renegades won the toss and elected to bowl on this unsettled surface. Due to the moisture of the pitch, the Perth Scorchers lost two early wickets and the batters struggled from the start of the innings.
The incident that led to the umpires and players to have a chat and then leave the field happened in the 7th over. Will Sutherland delivered the fifth ball of the over which looked like a straighter one but it bounced off the pitch and missed Josh Inglis’ drive by a mile.
The umpires then had a quick conversation and requested the players to leave the pitch, thereby ending the game.
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fter the players had left the pitch, the umpires, tournament organisers and captains and coaches from both sides met privately and agreed that the surface was too unsafe to play in such conditions. As a result, the game was cancelled.
"The last delivery that we saw behaved quite uncharacteristically. So that was the reason for coming off. Yeah, we had a look at the pitch at the start of the game. But sometimes, until you start playing on it, those things don't present themselves. After the first few overs, we were quite hopeful because it was doing okay but then it decided to go south and then the last one was enough to deem it was dangerous,” the on-field umpires said.
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It had to be noted that some overnight rain at the Geelong stadium meant that some of tthe water seeped under the covers, resulting in such a situation.
Former Australia captain Aaron Finch also gave his analysis of the matter, saying: "I didn't hear anything that the umps were saying but obviously they're concerned with how the balls are bouncing from that wet patch here. It's on that good length. It's six to seven metre length. A few balls are getting in there. They're obviously a little bit concerned about that.
It's been tapped in (by curators) but it's just taking some big divots out of the surface there as well. You can see that one that josh inglis got just there, it's gripped the seam and it's bouncing ridiculously. If that's on line with someone's body or their head then that could be some real issues."
(NDTV inputs)
