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Future gloomy for McLean Park in farcical scenes as Chappell-Hadlee Trophy ODI abandoned five hours after rain stops

MARK GEENTY IN NAPIER
Last updated 20:56, February 2 2017

McLean Park's status as an international venue is in significant doubt after New Zealand Cricket confirmed an independent inquiry into the farcical abandonment of the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy one-day international in Napier.

As a visibly angry New Zealand coach Mike Hesson made plain his annoyance and frustration at a ground that "wasn't even close" to being fit for play despite several hours without rain, NZC refused to guarantee the ground will host its scheduled ODI against South Africa on March 1.

"We did have some rain today but not enough to have the game being abandoned. We really need to have a look at what has happened," said NZC's chief operating officer Anthony Crummy.

"We understand that Nelson Park [next door] and other grounds are dry so something has gone wrong here and we need to understand what that is."

Crummy said it was "too early to speculate" as to whether Napier would host South Africa as planned, and confirmed Napier City Council will initiate an independent review. Council chief executive Wayne Jack confirmed they were treating the inquiry as urgent and will meet with NZC to start it on Friday.

Clearly something is badly wrong with the drainage of the playing surface, a multi-purpose venue which is used for Hawke's Bay NPC rugby games in spring.

Thursday's abandonment, which wasn't confirmed by umpires Kumar Dharmasena and Chris Brown till 6.45pm to boos from a restless crowd who'd waited hours, was the third in the past four years in Napier.

Last year's ODI against Pakistan and the 2013 ODI against West Indies were called off without a ball bowled as fans waited several hours in fine weather.

Crummy estimated 6000-7000 tickets were sold and all will be refunded.

After persistent but hardly torrential rain stopped at 1.45pm, the umpires confirmed a 4.45pm start time and 37-over game. But it soon became apparent the ground wasn't ready when players warmed up, and Australian captain Aaron Finch made a shot put-sized indentation with his foot to an area on the 30m circle.

Finch and New Zealand captain Kane Williamson made their concerns known to officials.

"We were given a start time which was a bit on the keen side because there was still casual water around the outfield," Hesson said.

"As we warmed up you'd throw balls and water would spray.

"As we did so, more water came to the surface so it actually got worse rather than better which was unexpected.

"The ground was unfit for play. It wasn't even close, to be fair. One of those aspects is player safety but you also need to be able to play a game of cricket, whether it be diving around or digging your knee into the ground, whether it be slipping over, or the ball landing and plugging."

Hesson said it was too early to say if he'd be comfortable bringing the team back to McLean Park on March 1.

"I'll be interested in the outcome of the review because we can't have a day like today. You've got two teams fizzing to play, a great crowd and you haven't got a huge amount of rain but the outfield was not even close to fit for play which is very frustrating for everybody.

"We were training on Nelson Park 100m away and the ground was bone dry four hours ago, and the outfield here is not. There's clearly an issue here, I don't know what that is, but they need to have that review and we'll know more."

Leading 1-0 in the three-match series, victory for New Zealand would have seen them reclaim the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy with a game to spare. Now it's all on in Hamilton on Sunday, where an Australian win will see them retain the silverware.

"It takes a chance away. We had to win one out of two now we've got to win one out of one. We're going to be primed and ready to go. We were ready to go today."

Finch labelled the ground condition "extraordinary" for a region that hadn't had any significant rain for 11 weeks. He said it was clearly unfit for play and labelled the umpires' decision to call a 4.45pm start "ultra-aggressive".

"There was a good handful but they were in really key spots – backward point, cover, square leg – those spots that are hot spots in the field. Particularly in around the ring it was quite soggy and slippery, and the water was splashing up quite a bit."

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricke...-odi-as-rain-tumbles-on-mclean-park-in-napier
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No mention of this bloke. Disappointed.
 
New Zealand vs England ODI on February 28th. Hopefully it doesn't rain.
 
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