Drama at Old Trafford

[DomainK]

Old Trafford's damaged reputation as an international venue suffered a further setback on Tuesday evening, when the second Twenty20 international between England and Australia was abandoned without a ball being bowled, due to waterlogged bowlers' run-ups at the Brian Statham End of the ground. Heavy afternoon rain in Manchester meant that the match was always likely to be under threat, just as Sunday's first Twenty20 had been, which was abandoned after seven balls of England's reply. Umpires Nigel Llong and Peter Hartley conducted their first inspection at the scheduled start time of 7pm, and though the weather cleared sufficiently for all the covers to be removed from the pitch, they announced the abandonment one hour later, after a second inspection, much to the frustration of a capacity Lancashire crowd. "We as the two teams wanted to get out there and play but you have to be realistic," England's captain, Paul Collingwood, told Sky Sports. "It's unfit for international cricket and the umpires have made a brave decision to call it off early. The run-ups are the crucial area on any pitch, but a lot of water has got onto there and it's pretty soggy." Australia's captain, Michael Clarke, shared Collingwood's sentiments. "It's very disappointing for both teams," he said. "We both wanted to play but for the safety of the players, it's the right decision. That area at the far end is the worst part of the ground, but there's an area at backward point as well. For me, only 75 kilos, it doesn't feel sturdy underfoot, so I can't imagine Brett Lee running in." Nevertheless, the decision drew a furious response from Lancashire's beleaguered chief executive, Jim Cumbes, who is already struggling to ensure that Old Trafford remains a top-class international venue amid stiff competition from rival counties. "It's a disaster that could have been avoided," Cumbes told Sky Sports. "I think the covers were good enough, but we've had so much rain that the pitch was bound to sweat. If this was a domestic game between Lancashire and Yorkshire in front of 16,000 people, this match would have taken place. There are people who paid £50 to come to this game, and I'm bitterly disappointed for them. In my view, you've got to play Twenty20 cricket in these conditions. We've got to rethink how we treat our public in cricket."

http://www.cricinfo.com/engvaus2009/content/current/story/422941.html

[Texy]

wait so what happens to the people who paid for this game? money gone down the drain? no refunds?

[The Outsider]

I was watching it - it was terribly unfair on the spectators ( they do get a refund I believe since not even a single ball was bowled). The entire ground was in good shape except for 1 square meter areas where the bowler jumps in his run up. The least the two sides could have done was to play an exhibition match from one side of the wicket IMO. The looks on people in the crowd were of wonder when the announcement was made because the sun had come out and there were no visible wet patches on the ground left.

[Mr. Wicket]

How is this 'drama'? It's just a stupid, pointless hash and waste of everyone's time. The conditions were not that bad - I've seen county games take place on such surfaces and conditions. And as prof says, nothing stops them from just playing a casual hitabout game (not like it's that different from what the people paid for) just to give the crowd their money's worth.

[Sachinism]

wait so what happens to the people who paid for this game? money gone down the drain? no refunds?

I'm pretty sure they will get refunds

[coffee_rules]

Can you imagine how much ruckus everybody created for a test match in WI? If this had happened in any other country, ICC would have been up-n-arms with countless committees/agencies investigating the issue. Since, it happened in Pommieland, even it's mouthpiece Cricinfo has passed it under the rug.

[Guest Gunner]

Can you imagine how much ruckus everybody created for a test match in WI? If this had happened in any other country' date=' ICC would have been up-n-arms with countless committees/agencies investigating the issue. Since, it happened in Pommieland, even it's mouthpiece Cricinfo has passed it under the rug.[/quote'] THis is completely unfair. I agree that the Lancashire county made a hash of th evening for spectators but the ground conditions earlier this year in Antigua are in no way comparable to this. This was not a well thought out comment.

[coffee_rules]

THis is completely unfair. I agree that the Lancashire county made a hash of th evening for spectators but the ground conditions earlier this year in Antigua are in no way comparable to this. This was not a well thought out comment.

I am not saying the conditions were similar. But the premise still the same. The lapses on part of the authorities is so well underplayed in this case. The double standard is pretty evident. If any other pitch would been in the same state as this one elsewhere in the world, we would have heard no end about it.

[Guest Gunner]

I am not saying the conditions were similar. But the premise still the same. The lapses on part of the authorities is so well underplayed in this case. The double standard is pretty evident. If any other pitch would been in the same state as this one elsewhere in the world' date=' we would have heard no end about it.[/quote'] The British press gave the Lancashire county hell as well. No one in England underpalyed the stupidity of the authorities in this case. Cricinfo called it a shame as well. But authorities making a call that the bowlers runup was unsafe due to rain and a stadium built on sand are just no the same. Its apples and oranges.