Bad luck or bad management? Heat intensifies on GMHBA Stadium after BBL pitch debacle

Fans were left furious and players were left stunned as Geelong’s only BBL game was forced to be abandoned. And it could have major ramifications.

Put yourself in Quinton de Kock’s shoes.

A world class batter who tore bowlers apart at the recent ODI World Cup in India, de Kock had been snapped up with the Melbourne Renegades’ first pick and fifth selection overall in the Big Bash League international draft.

The destructive keeper-batter had flown straight from the Abu Dhabi T10 League in the UAE, touching down in the country on Saturday.

His first game of the tournament lasted just 41 balls as a full Will Sutherland delivery – which Perth Scorchers batter Josh Inglis attempted to drive – kicked off the surface and ballooned to de Kock behind the stumps like it had been bowled into a trampoline.

It was the final straw for a wicket that had been described as “absolutely drenched” at the toss by Renegades captain Nic Maddinson and proved close to unplayable for the BBL’s leading runscorer of last season, Aaron Hardie.

The South African’s bemused expression with a glove over his mouth said it all. As Australia’s World Cup winning keeper Inglis put it, “it’s a joke.”

Renegades players point to the pitch. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Would de Kock have witnessed anything like this before in his 309 T20 matches?

Then imagine the fans, some of whom had travelled down the highway from Melbourne to watch the Gades in action.

There wasn’t a big contingent that flocked to GMHBA Stadium it must be said, but the confusion and booing from the 6601 fans when the match was eventually abandoned showed their immense frustration.

Some spectators would have blamed the players and officials, but there has be something drastically wrong for a game to be called off due to a dangerous pitch – especially when it isn’t currently raining at the time.

“No concerns when we started, we wanted to give it every chance. That’s why we started play out there, it looked all right on top and we played through it,” umpire Ben Treloar told Fox Cricket.

“The first few overs we were really quite hopeful with what we were but then just at the end that last one, that was enough for us to consider it being dangerous.”

“Player safety is paramount and nothing trumps that,” umpire Simon Lightbody added.

Players and coaches from both sides agreed, especially with the daunting proposition of express Scorchers paceman Jhye Richardson to come later in the night.

“We are incredibly disappointed in tonight’s events. We had an important match against the Scorchers and our fans have a right to feel incredibly let down,” Melbourne Renegades General Manager James Rosengarten said.

Fortunately for fans, the Renegades promised that all general public tickets will be refunded, and those that stuck around got some signatures and selfies with the players.

Jake Fraser-McGurk takes a selfie with a fan. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

But as it stands it is the only game Geelong cricket fans will be able to watch at Kardinia Park this BBL season — unless it is rescheduled, as has been flagged by Cricket Australia.

The Renegades had already bumped GMHBA Stadium down from the two games it played last season to just one in BBL13. Could the debacle jeopardise the stadium’s partnership with the Renegades and leave them with no home games in the future?

It is the first time in BBL history that a match has been called off because of a suspect pitch.

Matches have called off because of bushfire smoke, positive Covid tests and more. But somehow this was the most bizarre and certainly the most damning.

At best the abandoned match is unprofessional. At worst it is a black mark against Geelong on the national sporting stage.

It couldn’t come at a worse time for Kardinia Park Trust.

Just a fortnight ago, Geelong’s Mayor Trent Sullivan had written to the Matildas inviting them to play their Olympic qualifier against Uzbekistan down the highway.

The heat had started to wear off Kardinia Park Trust after delays to the new stand and renovation had been replaced by excitement over the christened Joel Selwood stand and a sellout 40,000 crowd at nine Cats home games next year.

Now, the furnace has been firmly applied.

The Matildas may have more faith in the surface at the MCG days after a Taylor Swift concert than GMHBA Stadium following this public relations disaster.

Was it bad luck, with Geelong being hit with 14 millimetres of persistent rain throughout Saturday, or bad management, considering just 1.8 millimetres fell in the region on Sunday?

That is sure to come out in the wash.

“CA will conduct a thorough review into the extremely frustrating circumstances that have resulted in the game being abandoned and a huge disappointment for fans and players,” Cricket Australia’s statement read.

Originally published as Bad luck or bad management? Heat intensifies on GMHBA Stadium after BBL pitch debacle