Cricket match abandoned in Cardiff due to unplayable wicket

Cardiff, August 3 - The centre wicket of the Sophia Gardens here, which was heavily criticised for being too batsman-friendly during the first Ashes cricket Test less than three weeks ago, was considered so dangerous and unpredictable that an English county match was abandoned.

The 50-over fixture on Sunday between Glamorgan and Hampshire was called off in the early stages of the second innings after both umpires deemed the pitch unplayable. The decision had the full support from the two captains after both of Hampshire's openers were struck on the helmet by deliveries that reared up off a length, reports cricket.com.au.

"The situation is the two umpires have decided that the pitch is unplayable, it's unfit and have called the game off. It's very dry and it's turned in the first innings, it's unpredictable bounce," said England and Wales Cricket Boards (ECB) liaison officer Tony Pigott.

Glamorgan had managed to bat out their 50 overs in difficult conditions, creeping their way to 152/9 on a surface that had turned sharply. But a turning pitch became dangerous in the second innings when Hampshire's Michael Carberry and then Jimmy Adams were struck on the helmet by lifting deliveries.

Adams was hit on the side of his head having played forward to a length delivery from Australian quick Michael Hogan in the seventh over, prompting umpires Paul Baldwin and Neil Mallender to consult with skippers Jacques Rudolph and James Vince before calling off the match.

The tickets of the match would be refunded.

Cases of matches being abandoned due to a dangerous pitch are rare with the most famous instance coming in Jamaica in 1998 when the Test between the West Indies and England was abandoned after just 10.1 overs.

(IANS)