UPDATED: Former South Australian cricketer Chadd Sayers has taken aim at yesterday’s decision to suspend a Sheffield Shield match due to pitch safety concerns impacting the batsmen.
The match between Queensland and South Australia was stopped over safety concerns regarding the pitch, which led to Marnus Labuschagne and Bryce Street walking off the field.
The Bulls were 1-87 after 50 overs, but an uneven pitch had resulted in deliveries that kicked up off the pitch unexpectedly, with Labuschagne hit several times during his innings.
Sayers, who played one Test for Australia, was clearly unimpressed with the batsmen walking off and queried whether bowlers should do the same when a pitch isn’t to their advantage.
“So when bowlers think it’s too flat, they just walk off?” Sayers tweeted.
https://twitter.com/Chaddsayers27/status/1463062883349110785
After a quick discussion between Labuschagne, Redbacks captain Travis Head and the two umpires, play was halted for the day.
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“There’s a little concern over a little wet spot, halfway down the track which probably hasn’t dried out as much as players had hoped,” Theo Doropoulos said on the broadcast.
“The issue then, just speaking with Wade [Bulls coach Wade Seccombe] and Usman Khawaja is that there is a spot that’s making balls rear off a length. [Match referee] Steve Davis said there’s no real concern about an unsafe surface, but clearly players have left the ground on account of that.”
The dialogue continued between Head and opposing captain Khawaja, while Seccombe and South Australia coach Jason Gillespie inspected the pitch.
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Several minutes later, it was agreed that play would be ended for the day, with the surface to be rolled and hopefully dried out.
Play will resume this morning.
The current round of Shield fixtures will be the last ahead of the Ashes, which starts in a fortnight’s time.
– with Marc Churches
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