Categories: Sports

Recent Match Report – Renegades vs Scorchers 4th Match 2023/24

Melbourne Renegades’ Big Bash League clash with Perth Scorchers has been abandoned after 6.5 overs because of safety concerns over a water-damaged pitch.

The ground staff in Geelong worked feverishly on Sunday to dry the pitch after heavy rain crept under the covers overnight. Renegades captain Nic Maddinson declared the pitch still “absolutely drenched” at the toss and sent the Scorchers in to bat.

Scorchers had reached 30 for 2 after 6.5 overs when umpires stopped play to inspect the pitch, with the fixture abandoned soon afterwards.

The decision came after concerns from batters over inconsistent bounce, in particular from the Scorchers’ Josh Inglis. At the time, Aaron Hardie was unbeaten on 20 off 23, while Inglis was not out on 3 off 7.

“That last delivery we saw behave quite uncharacteristically and in our minds we thought it behaved dangerously so that was the reason for coming off,” umpire Ben Treloar told Seven.

“When we initially started we saw the pitch, we had a good look at it, [but] until you start playing on it sometimes these things don’t present themselves. After the first few overs we were quite hopeful it was going to be okay but then it started to go south and that last one was enough for us to consider it dangerous.”

Ashton Turner, Perth Scorchers’ captain, said there were doubts over the surface before the game began but it was worth trying to get a game played.

“Start of the day we knew there were some doubts over the wicket but credit to both teams, we made a fair go of it,” he said. “We had enough evidence to call the game off and think the umpires made a really difficult decision, but probably the right decision

“There were definitely question marks over the nature of the wicket but think we needed to try and make something happen. Fortunately no one got hurt and the playing conditions say that no one has to get hurt to call it off which I think is common sense.”

He added that officials perhaps needed to look for ways that a game could still carry on when a situation such as this develops.

“Think we need some flexibility with the playing conditions,” he said. “I’ve heard ideas floated about whether we can play from one end, no doubt there is a way that we could get a game of cricket but we need some flexibility with the playing conditions to allow that.”

Renegades veteran Aaron Finch told the Fox Sports broadcast that deliveries had taken “big divots” out of the surface.

“Josh Inglis said it felt dangerous when he was batting,” Finch said. “It’s just bouncing ridiculously. If that’s bouncing on line with someone’s body or their head, then that could [cause] some real issues.

“It’s hard to say [if it’s too dangerous] when nobody’s been hit but you don’t want to wait for somebody to get seriously injured.”

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