Those who were expecting an action-packed Sunday of Momentum One Day Cup match between the Unlimited Titans and Chevrolet Knights at Willowmoore Park were left disappointed as the game was abandoned after just 19 overs into the first innings.
This was after the umpires, match referee Barry Lambson and the two captains Henry Davids (Titans) and Werner Coetsee (Knights) deemed the wicket to be unplayable and dangerous to the players as the pitch displayed inconsistent bounce.
The match was brought to a premature end with the Titans, batting first, on a score of 45/3.
The pitch was proving tricky for the batsmen and four incidents of inconsistent bounce forced the match officials and captains to make an on-field decision to call off the encounter.
According to Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) administrative condition, clause 5.3, CSA would have a range of options available to deal with its findings on the pitch in question, including the deduction of points from the home team and the imposition of a fine not exceeding R150 000 or both.
It also states that a further option available to them is a recommendation to the Board that the ground in question be excluded from next season’s roster of international cricket matches.
However, for the time being CSA consequently awarded the full match points to Coetsee’s team.
The Knights received four points while the Titans got nothing from the game.
It is unclear at this stage why the pitch played so inconsistently considering that Willowmoore Park played host to a first-class match between Easterns and Gauteng last weekend on a suitable track.
The Benoni cricket stadium has, however, experienced troubles in the past.
In 2009, a four-day match was called off after seven overs after it was found that the surface was waterlogged and the bowlers were creating dents in the track.
However, points were shared between the teams in that situation.
A reader who attended the game on Sunday wrote to the City Times and expressed his unhappiness about the abandonment.
He feels that an apology and explanation about the state of the pitch from the Eastern Cricket Union should be made.
Eastern Cricket issued this message, on their Facebook page, on Monday, October 20: “To all our patrons of Sahara Park Willowmoore.
“Please accept our sincere apologies for the inconvenience you may have experienced in respect to the abandoned match of Sunday, October 19.
“We deeply value your relationship with Eastern Cricket and will therefore refund your tickets until Friday, 24 October 2014.
“For any further information email to berrelynp@cricket.co.za or contact the office on 011 746 9000.”
