The Big Bash League (BBL) 13 game between Perth Scorchers and Melbourne Renegades at Simonds Stadium in Geelong was abandoned after only 6.5 overs on December 10. The match came to a halt and was eventually called off due to dangerous pitch conditions.
Divots surfaced on the pitch, causing unpredictable bounce, which prompted players from both teams to raise concerns with the on-field umpires. After a 20-minute delay, the decision was made to abandon the game, disappointing the nearly packed crowd in Geelong.
The days leading up to the fourth match of the BBL season saw significant rainfall in Geelong, resulting in water seeping under the cover and creating wet patches on the pitch. Concerns about damp areas on the pitch were raised before the match began and were emphasised during the toss.
"The wicket's absolutely drenched so we just want to have a look at what's going to happen," Renegades captain Nic Maddinson said after winning the toss and sending the Scorchers into bat.
The game came to a pause with Perth Scorchers at 30 for 2 in 6.5 overs. Aaron Hardie, batting at 20, was the first to express his concerns to the on-field umpires, pointing out the challenging batting conditions on the pitch.
Josh Inglis, with a score of 3, also approached to participate in the discussion before the players left the field.
Former Australia captain and star player for Melbourne Renegades star Aaron Finch addressed safety concerns for players during an interview with the broadcasters. He emphasised the risk of players being hit on their bodies or helmets if the game continued on that pitch.
The hazardous nature of the pitch was exemplified during Will Sutherland's second over, where three balls landing in nearly the same region exhibited different behaviours.
Wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock, who was making his BBL debut, appeared perplexed as he observed the batters struggling to assess the pitch's bounce.
The on-field umpires, during a conversation with the broadcasters, mentioned that they initially hoped the pitch would perform well after inspecting it at the beginning of the match. However, things began to unravel rapidly.
"The last delivery that we saw behaved quite uncharacteristically. So that was the reason for coming off," the on-field umpires said.
"Yeah, we had a look at the pitch at the start of the game. But sometimes, until you start playing on it, those things don't present themselves. After the first few overs, we were quite hopeful because it was doing okay but then it decided to go south and then the last one was enough to deem it was dangerous," he added.
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