Watch: BBL Match Suspended Because Of Unsafe Pitch, Melbourne Renegades And Perth Scorchers Share A Point Each

The BBL match between Melbourne Renegades and Perth Scorchers has been called off because of the pitch being deemed dangerous to play. The pitch has been acting up since the start of the BBL 2023-24 match, there is a damp area on the pitch which is quite unsettling for the batters given if the ball lands anywhere on the damp patch then it bounces awkwardly which can be dangerous for the batters.

Melbourne Renegades won the toss and chose to bowl on this unsettling surface in match 4 of BBL 2023-24. Perth Scorchers lost two early wickets and the batters were struggling since the start of the innings due to the dampness of the pitch. In the seventh over Will Sutherland delivered the fifth ball of the over which looked like a straighter but it bounced off the pitch and missed Josh Inglis’ drive by a mile.

The umpires then had a quick chat and asked the players to leave the field stopping the game for the time being. After the players left the field, the umpires along with the tournament organisers and the captains and coaches of both the teams, had a private chat and then it was decided that the pitch was too dangerous to play in such conditions. Hence, the game has been called off.

Watch- Umpires Ask Players To Leave The Field Due To Dangerous Pitch In BBL Match

Big Bash match between Melbourne Renegades vs Perth Scorcher has been suspended due to “unsafe pitch”.pic.twitter.com/skeXVbGeWn

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) December 10, 2023

There have been previous incidents when a play has been called off due to the pitch conditions being unsafe. The West Indies Vs England match in 1997 in Sabina Park was one such match where the umpires decided to call off the match because of an unsafe pitch.  Another instance was in 2009 when West Indies and England clashed at Sir Vivian Richards stadium in Antigua. The sand-based outfield was very risky and hence the stadium was also banned from hosting international matches.

It is the first time that a BBL game has been called off due to an unsafe pitch. The last ball bowled in the match behaved very uncharacteristically which led to umpires taking a call on the match. As a result, both teams will share a point each.