Confusion over match fiasco No game, no form, no panic

ECHUCA South and Stanhope have queried why Saturday’s Goulburn Murray A grade cricket game at the Swans’ home ground was abandoned within an hour of the scheduled start time of 12.30pm.

After two inspections, the nominated GM umpire on game day considered the pitch too wet to play on and stumps were drawn early, despite conditions being otherwise sunny and dry enough for Souths to make use of the centre square for practice later in the afternoon.

GM chairman Cam Kervin said yesterday Jason Turner was carrying out an investigation into what transpired on the day and whether anyone from either club would be penalised over the incident, as well as how best to proceed this weekend.

Saturday, as originally seen on the fixture list, should be day two of a two-day match, but there has also been talk of the early abandonment leading to a one-day match being played instead.

The coin toss was made, with Echuca South winning and sending Stanhope in to bat.

‘‘I think the umpire just made a call on how wet the pitch was, being the best judgement they could at the time,’’ Kervin said.

‘‘We’re looking into it and asking for information on what occurred. Hopefully we can come up with a decision before Thursday night.’’

GM umpires’ co-ordinator Phil NOT ending up playing last Saturday may not have been the biggest issue facing Echuca South’s cricket team at present.

The Swans are currently sitting in stone-cold last position in the A and B senior grades, second-to-last in the C grade — and with all sides winless, the only way is up for the club.

When asked for a particular reason as to why it’s been such a bad summer in terms of on-field performances, Souths coach Brad Jones has Dempsey said he wasn’t entirely sure why no play at all took place last weekend.

‘‘At any stage according to the laws of the game a day can be abandoned for any reason,’’ he added.

‘‘It can be adverse (weather) conditions or a team not providing a suitable pitch. Goulburn Murray Cricket management will decide on any law breach.’’

From the Swans’ perspective, Brad Jones — coach, curator and wicketkeeper — it was a case of putting too much moisture on the pitch on the Friday night.

‘‘But opening batsmen in two-day put it down to personnel turnover rather than game strategy.

‘‘It’s a new playing group,’’ he said. ‘‘We were talking before the (last) game about that. Funnily enough we played on a wet pitch at Stanhope last year.

‘‘They weren’t keen to bat, so we did, and there were only three of us left from that game (on Saturday).

‘‘We lost two of our four best batsmen from last year. It happens and it’s life but we’ll get there.’’

The Swans’ top six in the Stan- cricket should have to work through the first hour,’’ he said.

As far as Jones was concerned, once the toss had been made it should have been ‘‘game on’’.

‘‘We chose to bowl and they (Stanhope) said they wanted to wait half an hour,’’ he said.

‘‘We got to 1pm, then waited another half-hour. It (the pitch) was always going to harden up and turn into an absolute road.’’

Jones said the Swans then offered to bat instead and make first use of what may have been perceived as tricky conditions.

‘‘There was a bit of an argument, hope match last summer were: Cameron Hay, Jayden Rosin, Brad Jones, Mich McMullan, Shanaka Silva and Jake Toll.

Fast-forward to the round six game against Kyabram Fire Brigade and the first half of the batting order looked like this: Brad Jones, James Connoley, Hugh Nelson, Jayden Rosin, Joe Hamilton, Cameron Hay.

In junior grades, the Swans are in third spot in the under 16s and one above the bottom rung in under 14s. then the umpire called it and to show it was fine we had a hit,’’ he added. ‘‘It was a bit odd.’’ A photo surfaced on the Stanhope club Twitter feed relating to the fact that Souths were on the field well after the abandonment had taken place.

According to Jones, the game should now become a one-dayer.

‘‘In two-day games you’re not meant to call it off until 4pm,’’ he said.

Stanhope secretary Craig Emmett confirmed the sequence of events on day one.

‘‘They won the toss and sent us in,’’ he said.

‘‘We questioned the condition of riverineherald.com.au the pitch. The umpire took a look at it and deemed it not up to scratch. We waited a half-hour and looked again later on and then they called the day off.’’

Emmett seemed equally bemused, however, on that call being made so early.

‘‘I believe what’s supposed to happen (is) we should hang around until 3 or 4 o’clock before you call the day off,’’ he said.

‘‘It was a bit of a funny situation. I’m not sure too many people knew what was going on. The umpire suggested the pitch wasn’t good enough so it’s a one-dayer but I would’ve thought if everyone (else in the competition) has a toss that it constitutes the start of the game. So we’d bat until we’re out or declare (on day two). It was a bit of a shame the way it happened.’’

■ Aside from the pitch condition investigation, GMC umpires’ coordinator Phil Dempsey said his main concern during his first summer in the role has been the on-field behaviour of the district’s cricketers.

‘‘From my perspective, player behaviour is the area needed to improve,’’ he added.

‘‘The standard of cricket is fine but player behaviour has been poor in my opinion. It’s just been this year. We are addressing it club by club, issue by issue at this stage.’’