A couple of hours ago, the Melbourne Renegades and Perth Scorchers were going head-to-head in the 4th match of the Big Bash League (BBL), 2023–24. The second ball of the match saw Stephen Eskinazi given out leg before wicket, only for later reviews showing the ball jumping way over the stumps. In the seventh over of the match, the play was halted all of a sudden. However, it was minutes later that we found out that the match was abandoned due to the bad/dangerous pitch.
This has gotten fans wondering about the past instances of a play being halted and then eventually the match being abandoned.
Instances of match being abandoned
| Match | Result | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melbourne Renegades vs Perth Scorchers | No result due to pitch conditions | Simonds Stadium | 2023 |
| England vs Pakistan | Opposition refused to play | Kennington Oval | 2006 |
| Pakistan vs India | Opposition conceded | Zafar Ali Stadium | 1978 |
| India vs Sri Lanka | Won by default | Eden Gardens | 1996 |
Play halted meaning in cricket
Whenever a match is temporarily stopped or suspended due to an unexpected turn of events such as bad or inclement weather, technical glitches, or safety concerns.
A few examples of play being halted are rain-stopping play, a spectator evading the pitch, or stadium lights not working.
Damp pitch meaning in cricket
Due to consistent rain and scarce time to dry, a pitch becomes wet and damp. As the pitch becomes damp, the ball gets stuck and moves slowly towards the batter. Another side effect of a damp wicket is the inconsistent bounce. Most balls will stay low, but once in a while, the ball might bounce as usual and create problems for the batter.
In the Melbourne Renegades vs Perth Scorchers match, the damp pitch played a big part in the match being halted first and then abandoned. “The wicket’s absolutely drenched,” Melbourne Renegades skipper Nic Maddinson said after the match was awarded no result status.
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