Bournemouth cricket is holding Sunday morning showdown talks with Bournemouth University officials and ECB pitch assessors at Chapel Gate following the abandonment of yesterday’s Southern Premier Division match with Hook & Newnham Basics.
Senior panel umpires Dean Daniels and Huw Evans (who is chairman of the South Coast Panel of Officials) called the match off in the 15th over deeming the pitch to be “unsafe for the players.”
Hook were 28-4 at this point, with former Minor Counties seamer Dan Conway, left, bowling at his favoured rugby end of C2, grabbing three of the wickets.
Bowling cross-seam, Conway was getting excessive bounce off the rock-hard surface and when he struck Hook batsman Harry Warner in the chest the umpires called the captains together and abandoned the match.
The 65-acre site at Chapel Gate is owned by Bournemouth University, who are responsible for the preparation of the three cricket pitches the club uses at weekends and in midweek.
The cricket club, which pays a hefty annual rent for the privilege of playing there, is not allowed to do any work on the pitches.
Bournemouth skipper Chris Park said “how embarrassed he is for Bournemouth CC” that the Hook match should have been abandoned. It’s only the second time in the league’s 23-year history a match has been called off because of an unsafe surface, the previous occurrence being at Cove in 2000.
“Unfortunately, I’ll be the first to admit I saw this coming six or seven weeks ago. Without going into too much detail the pre-season preparation - or lack of it - set the alarm bells ringing.
“From what I understand of it, the two new groundsmen (appointed by the university) unfortunately don’t have huge amounts of cricket pitch experience and it seems have their hands tied behind their back.
“In my opinion, the university have over-used the whole Chapel Gate site, not allowing the groundsmen anytime whatsoever on cricket up preparation until Thursday last week, barely 48 hours before an ECB Premier Division match.
'Awful'
“The ‘old’ ground in front of the sports club (known as C1), where the Premier League matches used to be played, being the perfect case.
“Football and kids football has been played on the C1 outfield right up until Tuesday last week!
“They had a half-day turn around before Bournemouth hosted Southampton Solent there in a BUCS Championship match – Solent head coach Tom Morton describing the ground as ‘awful.’
Park continued: “Regarding C2, yes quite major korrowing/fraizing of the square took place last September.
“Back in early March, the square looked very healthy and things looks positive.
“It seems that no pre-season rolling took place due to time commitments and other sports getting the groundsmen’s time.
“In my opinion, pre-season pitch preparation has not been up to the standard a decent cricket pitch requires before you even start to engage in the conversations of what an experienced cricket groundsman would do, such as when to roll, when to cut, when to put the covers on, etc.’
“To my mind, the Bournemouth University hierarchy themselves - way above the groundstaff - have to be held accountable.”
“Bournemouth field six adult men’s teams. two ladies’ sides and a staggering 14 or 15 junior teams, all desperate to play good cricket on good quality pitches and outfields.
“I can only apologise to Hook & Newnham Basics for what has happened. The umpires (Dean and Huw) dealt with things brilliantly.”
Below: Hook & Newnham Basics batsmen Harry Warner and Josh Buckingham wince as they are struck by rising deliveries. James Robinson photos.
Senior panel umpires Dean Daniels and Huw Evans (who is chairman of the South Coast Panel of Officials) called the match off in the 15th over deeming the pitch to be “unsafe for the players.”
Hook were 28-4 at this point, with former Minor Counties seamer Dan Conway, left, bowling at his favoured rugby end of C2, grabbing three of the wickets.
Bowling cross-seam, Conway was getting excessive bounce off the rock-hard surface and when he struck Hook batsman Harry Warner in the chest the umpires called the captains together and abandoned the match.
The 65-acre site at Chapel Gate is owned by Bournemouth University, who are responsible for the preparation of the three cricket pitches the club uses at weekends and in midweek.
The cricket club, which pays a hefty annual rent for the privilege of playing there, is not allowed to do any work on the pitches.
Bournemouth skipper Chris Park said “how embarrassed he is for Bournemouth CC” that the Hook match should have been abandoned. It’s only the second time in the league’s 23-year history a match has been called off because of an unsafe surface, the previous occurrence being at Cove in 2000.
“Unfortunately, I’ll be the first to admit I saw this coming six or seven weeks ago. Without going into too much detail the pre-season preparation - or lack of it - set the alarm bells ringing.
“From what I understand of it, the two new groundsmen (appointed by the university) unfortunately don’t have huge amounts of cricket pitch experience and it seems have their hands tied behind their back.
“In my opinion, the university have over-used the whole Chapel Gate site, not allowing the groundsmen anytime whatsoever on cricket up preparation until Thursday last week, barely 48 hours before an ECB Premier Division match.
'Awful'
“The ‘old’ ground in front of the sports club (known as C1), where the Premier League matches used to be played, being the perfect case.
“Football and kids football has been played on the C1 outfield right up until Tuesday last week!
“They had a half-day turn around before Bournemouth hosted Southampton Solent there in a BUCS Championship match – Solent head coach Tom Morton describing the ground as ‘awful.’
Park continued: “Regarding C2, yes quite major korrowing/fraizing of the square took place last September.
“Back in early March, the square looked very healthy and things looks positive.
“It seems that no pre-season rolling took place due to time commitments and other sports getting the groundsmen’s time.
“In my opinion, pre-season pitch preparation has not been up to the standard a decent cricket pitch requires before you even start to engage in the conversations of what an experienced cricket groundsman would do, such as when to roll, when to cut, when to put the covers on, etc.’
“To my mind, the Bournemouth University hierarchy themselves - way above the groundstaff - have to be held accountable.”
“Bournemouth field six adult men’s teams. two ladies’ sides and a staggering 14 or 15 junior teams, all desperate to play good cricket on good quality pitches and outfields.
“I can only apologise to Hook & Newnham Basics for what has happened. The umpires (Dean and Huw) dealt with things brilliantly.”
Below: Hook & Newnham Basics batsmen Harry Warner and Josh Buckingham wince as they are struck by rising deliveries. James Robinson photos.