Hampshire's Royal London One-Day Cup match against Glamorgan has been abandoned because of a dangerous pitch at The Swalec Stadium.

Glamorgan fast bowler Michael Hogan struck Michael Carberry and Jimmy Adams on the helmet, the latter with a horrible delivery that flew off a length, before the match was called off.

Umpires Neil Mallender and Paul Baldwin consulted both captains before making the decision with Hampshire 26-0 after 6.4 overs, chasing 183.

 

 

Hampshire captain James Vince said: "We were in a winning position and would have liked to stay out  there and get the win but the umpires deemed it too dangerous and that was that.

"It's something new to all of us, it's hugely disappointing because we'd have liked two wins on the bounce.

"But Carbs felt it was dangerous so it was probaby the right call. Luckily no-one got hurt badly."

Adams said: "It's not ideal, it's a  real shame for everyone involved. We often play on wickets that offer variable bounce but that was extreme."

Glamorgan captain Jacques Rudolph said: "I think it's the right decision, I would have kept bowling Hoges keep because I needed to keep taking wickets."

Normally a 'no result' means the two points are shared but that would be very unfair on Hampshire.

Glamorgan can now expect a heavier punishment than the two-point deduction they began the competition with, the same pitch having been deemed 'poor' last season. But it would be a travesty if Hampshire were to be penalised through no fault of their own.

 

 

Hampshire director of cricket Giles White told Radio Solent: "It's the first time I’ve seen that, the wicket was a little up and down all day but the ball that hit Jimmy was quite shocking.

"From that length it gave him no chance. The umpires made the right call. You can’t take any risks these days and we wait to see what’s happening points wise. At the moment the umpires aren't 100 per cent sure."

ECB pitch liaison officer Tony Pigott, said: “I can’t remember another incident in English cricket where this has happened." 

Glamorgan chief executive Hugh Morris said: "Less than a month ago we hosted a hugely successful Ashes Test match here with a full house for four days to watch a great game of cricket.

“A couple of weeks later we have a game called off for a dangerous pitch...It’s a pretty dark day for the club and we will be having an immediate investigation into why we had such a pitch."

Hampshire's bowlers had completed an outstanding weekend with the white ball by restricting Glamorgan to 182-9  on the same pitch that was deemed 'above average' when Essex were thrashed on it two days earlier.

Twenty four hours after skittling Middlesex for 117 at the Ageas Bowl, Hampshire’s impressive 50-over attack produced another fine response to being asked to bowl first.

Once again, there were early Jackson Bird wickets after James Vince lost the toss. 

Hampshire’s Aussie was grateful for some low bounce as early as his first over when Will Bragg (2) was bowled.

Jacques Rudolph (8) drove to mid-off in the sixth over of Bird's excellent opening spell (7-2-10-2).  

Chris Wood (6-0-17-1), who always bowls well at the Swalec Stadium, was grateful Michael Carberry held on, despite being upended by Joe Gatting, when Aneurin Donald (8) skied to mid-wicket in the 19th.

 

 

Once again, Hampshire’s spinners were outstanding. They made the most of the dry surface.

Liam Dawson (10-0-21-3) and Mason Crane (10-0-44-1) bowled in tandem from the 21st over to the 40th.

Leg-spinner Crane regularly beat the bat and began Glamorgan’s collapse from 95-3 to 102-7 when former Bournemouth CC star Chris Cooke (9) skied to Jimmy Adams.

Dawson took the wickets of two left-handers in his fifth over.

The slow left-armer celebrated the big scalp of Colin Ingram (51) when the South African, a match-winning centurion in Glamorgan’s two previous RLODC games, swept to deep backward square leg, where Will Smith did well to hold on diving forward.

Four balls later, Mark Wallace (0) chopped on.

Craig Meschede became Dawson’s third victim in 11 balls when he was beaten by a beauty that turned and bounce and edged to Smith at second slip.

Hampshire were frustrated by an eighth-wicket stand of 39 in nine overs between David Lloyd and Graham Wagg, who also put on 28 with Dean Cosker (13no) for the ninth.

Lloyd’s career-best 33 ended when he was bowled through the gate by the first ball from off-spinner Smith, who also bowled Wagg (29) before Cosker and Michael Hogan ensured Glamorgan were not bowled out.

Hampshire bowling: Edwards 8-1-41-0, Bird 7-2-10-2, Wood 10-0-39-1, Dawson 10-0-21-3, Crane 10-0-44-1, Smith 5-1-11-2.