Not so hasty with the rainchecks

SOME of us cricketers seem to have a love-hate relationship with the game.

We love the competitive nature of the sport, we love the camaraderie, but, geez, we (well, some of us) secretly love when officials call off cricket because of the weather.

Normally I can accept when the league abandons a day of cricket (who doesn’t love an unplanned day off?), but Saturday’s call didn’t sit comfortably with me.

Firstly, I understand the pressure volunteer administrators are under, but sometimes I also feel we’re too keen to call off cricket.

Sometimes it feels like we spend as much effort trying to find ways not to play than trying to find ways to play.

The Geelong Cricket Association called a washout of all hard-wicket cricket about 7.30am on Saturday in the immediate aftermath of the thunderstorms.

Unfortunately, while it may have been made with good intent, it was the wrong call.

Sure, things looked wet at first light, but most matches were not due to start for five to six hours. Turf cricket had been called off on Friday — perhaps an early call, but probably fair given the limitations clubs faced preparing wickets. But there was no reason to call off hardwicket cricket so early, as proved by the Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association. The hard-wicket BPCA went ahead, and all eight matches in the A1 and A2 competitions continued without any lost play. If only the GCA didn’t jump at shadows at a forecast of rain that never arrived. If left many cricketers free to enjoy a day of balmy mid-20C temperatures — dream conditions for “a washout”.

At my club, our hard-wicket ground was fit for play by late morning, if not earlier.

So if Saturday is the benchmark for not playing, we will be spending many an afternoon on the sidelines.

Players should have at least been asked to report to their grounds to make an assessment on the conditions.

If that had have happened, most games would have been played on grounds mildly affected by the rain at worst.

Cricket has been played in far worse conditions.

Sure, the early call allowed people to go about their business — a justification some pointed to — but should that determine whether play should go ahead?

Let’s just hold our horses in the future.