BBL 2023-24: Perth Scorchers vs Melbourne Renegades abandoned due to unsafe pitch; Has such interruption happened before? Know more

In a strange turn of events, Match 5 of the Big Bash League (BBL) 2023-24 between Melbourne Renegades (REN) and Perth Scorchers (SCO) has been called off. Interruption of matches due to rain is a common occurrence in cricket, but suspending a match due to an unsafe pitch is rare and truly a shame. The match between REN and SCO was abandoned on Sunday, December 10, after less than seven overs due to safety concerns on a water-damaged pitch. 

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Renegades captain Nic Maddinson, who won the toss and elected to bowl at Geelong's Simonds Stadium, said the deck was still wet. Will Sutherland's fifth ball of the seventh over to Josh Inglis produced some awkward bounce and forced the umpires to stop play. There was a damp area on the pitch which caused the ball to bounce unevenly, making the batters unsettle.

Some divots could be seen on the surface and both teams looked worried. The pitch looked dangerous and immediately non-striker Aaron Hardie had a word with the umpire. The ball was handed over to the umpire and the game was halted for a while before the discussions between umpires, captains and the coaches.

Watch the video below: 

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Big Bash match between Melbourne Renegades vs Perth Scorcher has been suspended due to "unsafe pitch".pic.twitter.com/skeXVbGeWn

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) December 10, 2023

After the chat and inspection, the umpire declared the pitch unplayable and abandoned the match. It is learned that grounds staff at Geelong's GMHBA Stadium had to put in a lot of efforts to dry out the pitch under cover after heavy rain overnight. 

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Such ridiculous bouncers can cause some real problems if they hit one's body or brain line. The umpires took a good decision to suspend the game and not take any risk to the players. That means both teams will share a point each.

Not the first time such incidents have occurred

Although a rare situation, this is not the first time a match has been suspended due to poor pitch conditions. A notable example is the 1998 Test match between England and the West Indies at Sabina Park in Jamaica. The match was called off after just 61 balls due to the unsafe condition of the pitch. 

In 1997, an ODI between Sri Lanka and India at the Nehru Stadium in Indore had to be suspended to the dangerous nature of the pitch. Similarly, the fifth and final ODI between India and Sri Lanka in 2009 was abandoned midway through the first innings as players walked off the field in protest at the unsafe pitch condition at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium.