Unexpectedly, match officials at the GMHBA Stadium in Geelong called off the fourth Big Bash League (BBL) game between the Melbourne Renegades and Perth Scorchers because they deemed the playing surface “unsafe.” The Renegades also released a formal statement regarding the same.
The club asserts that the intense rain that fell before the game caused a damp spot, which is why the umpires stopped play during the seventh over. In the meantime, Cricket Australia (CA) declared that it would examine the cause of the match’s cancellation.
According to the governing body’s statement, “Cricket Australia (CA) will conduct a thorough review into the extremely frustrating circumstances that have resulted in the game’s abandonment and a huge disappointment for fans and players.”
In the event that the game cannot be postponed, the regulating board further declared that both sides would split one point each.
Before the game, Head Coach Adam Voges of the Scorchers expressed his worries about the wicket.
Along with discussing the disappointment of the fans, he expressed gratitude to Melbourne Renegades management for guaranteeing refunds to all general public ticket buyers.
“The batters still took a couple hits to the stomach, but overall, I’m glad that nobody was gravely hurt in this incident. Though I believe they finally made the right decision, it is disheartening for everyone who came out to watch tonight. We came here to win the game, so it’s disappointing that we split the points while not doing anything wrong, he remarked.
“Our first thoughts are with our supporters, the devoted Geelong and Victoria followers that we have. The events of tonight have left us deeply disillusioned. Our supporters had every right to be deeply disappointed because we played the Scorchers in a crucial game. We’ll talk about the results of that fantastic cricket night in the coming days. It was supposed to be fantastic. The team’s general manager, James Rosengarten, stated in a statement: “The club will ensure that all general public ticket purchasers receive a refund.”