Melbourne Renegades. (Photo Source: X(Twitter)
In an unexpected turn of events, the fourth game in the ongoing Big Bash League (BBL) between Melbourne Renegades and Perth Scorchers at the GMHBA Stadium, Geelong was abandoned with the match officials citing the pitch was ‘unsafe’ to play. The Renegades also issued an official statement regarding the same.
As per the club, heavy rain prior to the match left a wet patch and the umpires then suspended play in the seventh over of the game. Meanwhile, Cricket Australia (CA) confirmed that it will review the reason which led to the cancellation of the match.
“Cricket Australia (CA) will conduct a thorough review into the extremely frustrating circumstances that have resulted in the game being abandoned and a huge disappointment for fans and players,” the governing body said in a statement.
The governing body also stated that both teams will share one point each if the match cannot be rescheduled.
Adam Voges, Scorchers’ Head Coach, stated that he had concerns about the wicket before the start of the match. He also spoke about the disappointment of fans and appreciated the management of Melbourne Renegades as they ensured that all general public ticket purchasers would be refunded.
“They (the batters) still copped a few in the stomach but yeah, just thankful that no one’s been seriously injured out of this. It’s disappointing for all the people who have come out to watch tonight, but ultimately, I think they made the right call. We came to win a game tonight and to split the points through no wrongdoing of our own is frustrating”, he said.
“Our first thoughts are with our fans – the loyal supporters we have across Geelong and Victoria. We are incredibly disappointed in tonight’s events. We had an important match against the Scorchers and our fans have a right to feel incredibly let down. It should have been a great night of cricket and we will discuss the outcomes of that in the days ahead. The club will ensure that all general public ticket purchasers are refunded,” Melbourne Renegades General Manager James Rosengarten said in a statement by the club.