County Championship: Gloucestershire v Northants abandoned due to unfit pitch

The County Championship Division Two match between Gloucestershire and Northamptonshire was abandoned on day one owing to concerns from the umpires over player safety on a hybrid pitch.

Umpires Chris Watts and Sue Redfern called a halt early on in the final session after Northamptonshire batsmen Ricardo Vasconcelos and Rob Keogh had both been struck on the hand by Gloucestershire paceman Ajeet Singh Dale and forced to retire hurt.

The visitors were 116-2 in reply to Gloucestershire’s 125 when the contest was abandoned at 17:00 BST, the umpires consulting with both captains before leading the players from the pitch and then holding a consultation with groundstaff to explain their decision.

Watts and Redfern then talked with match referee Jason Swift before contacting ECB pitch inspectors at Lord’s to seek advice and the decision was then taken to abandon the match.

Gloucestershire were unceremoniously shot out in just 36.1 overs before Vasconcelos was taken to hospital with a suspected broken finger.

When Keogh was struck during the final session, the umpires, concerned for the safety of the batsmen, made their intervention.

Northamptonshire will collect 11 points for a draw, including three bowling bonus points, but Gloucestershire will receive none. It remains to be seen whether or not the county will face any further sanction.

The umpires issued a brief statement, which read: “The match has been abandoned because there was a foreseeable risk to the batters. In the opinion of the umpires, it would be unreasonable to continue.”

Justin Broad had produced a career-best bowling performance as he returned figures of 7-33 in 15.1 overs with seven maidens.

Gloucestershire lost openers Cameron Bancroft and Ben Charlesworth inside six overs.

Broad bowled Bancroft before Charlesworth pushed tentatively at an angled delivery from Luke Procter and offered a straightforward catch to second slip.

Procter struck again in his next over, Miles Hammond swishing at a ball outside off stump and nicking to second slip. James Bracey was unfortunately run out when Dom Leach diverted an Ollie Price drive onto the stumps with the batsman at the non-striker’s end backing up.

Graeme van Buuren feathered a catch to second slip to gift Broad his second wicket and the South African’s dismissal for a run-a-ball 40 with the score on 93 sparked a calamitous collapse,

Tom Price fell lbw to Broad before Zafar Gohar shouldered arms to a straight one from Broad, who then pinned Ollie Price lbw for 52.

Broad then accounted for tailenders Dom Goodman and Zaman Akhter in quick succession.

It was still tricky batting as Prithvi Shaw and Vasconcelos staged an opening partnership of 50 in 11.1 overs, only for the latter to then edge a catch behind off Singh Dale.

Vasconcelos advanced his score to 21 before retiring hurt, after which Procter and Keogh added an unbeaten 49 for the third wicket before proceedings were halted.

Report supplied by the ECB Reporter’s Network.