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SCG outfield sees Shield match abandoned

8th November, 2015
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Cricket has copped another embarrassing black eye after NSW’s Sheffield Shield clash with Victoria was controversially abandoned due to a dangerous SCG playing surface.

The decision by the match referees to call off the four-day game midway through day three has put them at odds with the SCG Trust which slammed the move, describing the surface as safe.

The game was abandoned at midday on Sunday citing unsafe conditions despite no rain during the day or overnight.

It came just over a week after New Zealand’s tour match at Sydney’s Blacktown International Sportspark was abandoned after just four sessions due to concerns about the pitch.

The latest abandonment came less than two months out from the New Year’s Test between Australia and the Windies at the SCG.

While the SCG pitch was deemed suitable, the infield and centre wicket area did not hold up after recent rain.

Just 34.2 overs had been possible over the first two days because of rain and complaints about the unsteady playing surface.

Play was cut short on day two after four Victorian players slipped in the space of eight balls, leading Bushrangers coach David Saker to describe the ground as not up to first-class standard.

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“There were a number of areas and most of the areas of real concern were close to the wicket, within 10 to 15 metres of the stumps,” match referee Steve Bernard said.

“They were high-traffic areas around mid-off, mid-on, slips, short backward point, cover point.”

Cricket Australia will conduct a review of proceedings and the ground before it is decided how the points will be decided.

The SCG Trust said there was no reason for the match to be abandoned and blamed recent rain for the state of the ground.

At Randwick near the SCG at Moore Park, just 1mm of rain was recorded in the 24 hours up until 9am Sunday and there had been 58.6mm over the last week.

“Before play this morning, the ground was in the best condition that it had been all match,” SCG curator Tom Parker said.

“Given that there was no rain overnight it was absolutely ready to host a match today.”

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Following a second inspection at midday, it was decided that there was no likelihood of the ground improving, even though the weather was fine, and the game was abandoned.

“There were areas where the ground was moving. There’s a lot of bare areas there. Even where it was turfed, the last two balls before the game was suspended yesterday was when Rob Quiney went down and then (Aaron Finch) went down a ball later,” Bernard said.

“Both of them had skidded where there was turf, they still lost their footing and I went out and inspected the divots they had taken out which were a metre long.”

NSW ended the match on 1-88 with Ed Cowan not out on 48 and Kurtis Patterson on 29.

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