It wasn’t cancelled last week
The points you have raised over the last few days are factually incorrect so whilst I agree there are always areas for improvement half of your complaints are not valid. The club provided constant updates as soon as they were able as guided by the umpires throughout the weekend and the second team game was not cancelled last week
Vic in his interview on Friday said the pitch was at saturation level. You don't need to wait for the umpires to arrive to inform spectators of that. That should have been communicated early doors, I'm fairly sure the ground staff would have checked the pitch before 9.48am on Friday. It would have saved people time travelling and annual leave. It needs to improve.
I never suggested Vic has control, he does a good job. The club will have known the state of that pitch earlier than 9.48am on Friday with the saturated levels
Are you an expert in the rules and regs of the professional game? Nothing wrong with the communication. A lot better than most clubs.
If the pitch is saturated with puddles in places he said he hasn't seen before, I don't think it's unreasonable to expect an update on social media. "The pitch is currently at saturation level with puddles on the pitch, we are aiming for a 10am pitch inspection when the umpires arrives". Had they released that information which clearly was factually knowledge, it would have saved folk a lot of time and expense. It's not difficult stuff this in 2024. You don't need to wait for umpires to arrive to do that.
The rules and regulations don't prevent a club from using social media to keep people up to date
What would have happened if, on Friday morning the umpires arrived at the ground and deemed it fit for play to commence on time? The ground authority only have authority to cancel the complete game, otherwise it’s the umpire’s decision. Vic said that the friendly wouldn’t have taken place if it was a 1st class game so there was obviously some doubt as to whether play would have been possible in that game.
Play was never happening if the ground was at saturation level which no spectators knew about. We aren't talking about a little 20 minute shower here. The club should have informed folk earlier as it was evident which they knew, this was an extreme condition. They never have issues updating folk about the Hundred Tickets/Rod Stewart. I know I'm not the only one with this view either as we saw on social media. One assumes the umpires would have arrived at the ground at 9am, so to not give an update until 9.48am in my view was poor. The ground staff would have been on the pitch 7/8am and the club will have known then the game was in doubt which I believe they should communicate as they do for internationals and t20s more often than enough
totally agree, The Umpires first job should be to speak to the ground staff as early as possible, cant tell me the first look at the pitch took nearly 45mins to happen, Vic and his team will have known early on there was little chance of plat at all, yes the umpire could disagree, but really on thursday night a post could have gone out stating what he said, its puddled in places ive not seen before and chances of a prompt start are highly unlikely, then put it on the supporters to decided if and when they make a trip down
And they did once the umpires inspected the ground and continued to do so.
At 9.48am which is piss poor as I've said above.
It was cancelled on Monday. To leave the official announcement until this morning is ridiculous as people could have made other plans had they known it was 100% off.
Daytime starts as well. Why not have a few later starts so people can watch after work?Two things stand out- bizarre that they're getting rid of the T20 double headers and first home game in the 2nd XI Championship.....August 20th.
Absolutely remarkable the first look of the pitch was 10am (let's be honest here the umpires would have been at the ground at the latest 9am) when they'll have known for a good while the pitch was full of water which Vic said in his interview on Friday afternoon. Vic will have known at 7am the craic, so I'm not falling for excuses about not informing anyone via social media which they do throughout the day for T20 games and do for internationals well before umpires arrives. Had the club tweeted at 7/8 or 9am about saturated pitch, then anyone planning to attend would have appreciated that update and stayed put before going to the ground/paying for parking/bus fare etc. a lad I know from otherside of Newcastle spent two hours each way travelling on Friday and wasn't happy for example. Had I know before 9am of the pitch situation I'd have been able to cancel my annual leave as common sense would tell you if the pitch is at saturation level there would be no play at all. Fortunately I managed to claim Monday back at work. I know others who made an effort and paid full day car parking as well which again is about a fiver and it all adds up. County Cricket does itself no favours at all. It's not just a Durham thing either mind. Spennymoor in the football notified their fans of issues on Monday 11pm for their game last night and said an inspection would take place 11am Tuesday which it was then called off. Point I'm making is using social media properly to keep folk up to date will always be appreciated. The club at no point made any reference to basically a flooded pitch in advance.
Haway man it's cricket we're talking about here. That's far too sensible a suggestion.
And FTECB don't do sensible.Haway man it's cricket we're talking about here. That's far too sensible a suggestion.
