Purpose of the covers and the groundstaff

[DandyFellow]

I really want to know what is the purpose of having covers and groundstaff on the ground if they need 3 hours to make the ground ready to play when it rains for about 3-4 hrs. Rain alone can be understood as a limitation for cricket to be played but the preparation of the ground fand the bad light have to be the most frustrating things for cricket. Atleast they should do something such that the match restarts whenever the rain ends. We can not control the rain but atleast we can work on these things.

 

[Manunited18]

The groundstaff have made no effort what so ever to get out and make a start!, all the sacrife the players and management and relevant bodies have made to get cricket on yet this lethargic effort and attitude.

 

[ethan hunt]

Southampton should be fined.
Lazy groundstaff. Compare them to the ones in Srilanka.

 

[Cricketrenew]

Really poor from Southampton ground and umpires too.

Wasted so much time.

Ground should not be give any more internationals.

Pink Ball should be used, if they go soft early replace them after 50 overs or use 2 from both ends, with option of replacing each one after 50 overs each.

In this day and age ICC/ECB needs to be more agile, with no crowds ... the match could have easily been played in the north when the weather became apparent in the south.

Really poor show.

Covering the ground someway with new technology should be looked at....

 

[IMMY69]

and it’s bright and sunny right now

 

[Zeshan547]

i can understand it cost too much for fully retractable roof but can't even these boards afford whole ground covers and the should have kinda underground drainage behinds boundary rope where all water gathered on those covers can be thrown in, and with this we can start the play in under 15 min after even very heavy rains. In short term this is the only solution and long term they should look for some kind of cheaper and modern option for roof etc.

 

[Infinitee786]

there’s home advantages and then there’s unethical advantages. They know a draw means England don’t lose the series. Suits their purpose to avoid playing. 3 hours to dry a pitch is absurd. Don’t believe it for a second.

 

[Saj]

Don't think the groundstaff were very keen on a re-start.

I wonder if the attitude would have been different had England been 1-0 down or if there were thousands of fans in the stadium.

 

[IMMY69]

Don't think the groundstaff were very keen on a re-start.

I wonder if the attitude would have been different had England been 1-0 down or if there were thousands of fans in the stadium.

They should have acted as if the stadium was full, anything less is extremely unprofessional.

I’m amazed they didn’t get play these late afternoon... there’s been so much hit and sunny weather that even my own garden has dried fairy quickly and that’s after a free hours of torrential rain

 

[Infinitee786]

Don't think the groundstaff were very keen on a re-start.

I wonder if the attitude would have been different had England been 1-0 down or if there were thousands of fans in the stadium.

My sentiments also

 

[HitWicket]

i can understand it cost too much for fully retractable roof but can't even these boards afford whole ground covers and the should have kinda underground drainage behinds boundary rope where all water gathered on those covers can be thrown in, and with this we can start the play in under 15 min after even very heavy rains. In short term this is the only solution and long term they should look for some kind of cheaper and modern option for roof etc.

You'll still end up with a significant amount of water underneath full ground covers because of a sweating effect hence why they're banned in England.

 

[Major]

it has been raining for 2 days hasn't it?

WOuld take time to dry the ground

 

[Fahdi]

I have seen Sri Lankan ground staff cover the entire ground in a matter of moments in heavy rain and then have the ground ready very quickly. The English ground staff has always seemed extremely lazy to me in this regard.

 

[James]

Absolutely dreadful and embarrassing.

I was at Headingley for a Test a couple of years ago and it was lashing it down all day until the lunch break — then the sun came out — and the groundstaff worked relentlessly in a drenched stadium to get play started at 2:30PM. All it took was a quick bit of rescheduling, and we got 5 enjoyable hours of cricket in with a tea break half way through.

No doubt, with a similar effort, there could have been at least a couple of hours’ play tonight.

There should be repercussions on the back of what has happened in Southampton today.

 

[Fahdi]

Don't think the groundstaff were very keen on a re-start.

I wonder if the attitude would have been different had England been 1-0 down or if there were thousands of fans in the stadium.

Here's an article from Cricinfo title "The fastest ground staff in the world". The English could certainly learn a lesson or two from the Sri Lankans.

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/20584018/the-fastest-ground-staff-world

 

[Fahdi]

Don't think the groundstaff were very keen on a re-start.

I wonder if the attitude would have been different had England been 1-0 down or if there were thousands of fans in the stadium.

Another thing which annoyed me was Joe Root applauding when the Umpires decided to stop play for Bad light. I mean in a match that is almost a surefire draw that just seems like a terrible attitude for a captain. The English didn't seem like they want any cricket.

 

[James]

Another thing which annoyed me was Joe Root applauding when the Umpires decided to stop play for Bad light. I mean in a match that is almost a surefire draw that just seems like a terrible attitude for a captain. The English didn't seem like they want any cricket.

I saw Joe clapping, but we can’t say for sure that he was applauding the break in play. He could have been applauding the two English batsmen for weathering (pardon the pun) an excellent Pakistan opening spell with only the loss of 1 wicket.

 

[MenInG]

Think Southampton need to do a little more (as do all grounds in England) to take on the weather; new tech available etc to cover the ground.

These should not be pics from 2020.

 

[MenInG]

And to think we have great sunshine but the ground is so soggy - well its totally unacceptable.

 

[ElRaja]

those pics hurt, should have had at least an hour or two of cricket.

 

[DandyFellow]

Don't think the groundstaff were very keen on a re-start.

I wonder if the attitude would have been different had England been 1-0 down or if there were thousands of fans in the stadium.

But all matches count to the World Test Championship and this draw is going to hurt England too. Maybe they have already given up on the World Championship Final.

 

[IMMY69]

And to think we have great sunshine but the ground is so soggy - well its totally unacceptable.

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Ridiculous

 

[Fahdi]

I saw Joe clapping, but we can’t say for sure that he was applauding the break in play. He could have been applauding the two English batsmen for weathering (pardon the pun) an excellent Pakistan opening spell with only the loss of 1 wicket.

Well maybe I'm being a bit too cynical in my interpretation of events. A product of my annoyance.

 

[Infinitee786]

when they announced that play was abandoned Rob Key was playing golf next door where apparently the grass was fine.

And apparently on “The Debate” they stated that the reason full ground covers are not used in England is because they the composition of the outfield here is as such that the drainage is better.

The irony!

 

[Buffet]

Shocking display here. Making no effort at all.

 

[sweep_shot]

Ground staffs should be held accountable. This is disappointing.

 

[MenInG]

MIKEY HOLDING on Sky Sports says we cannot play if the field is slippery...

"Once you start running up as a bowler and your feet are moving as you push off for the next step, that is going to throw you off totally. We had a similar situation in Antigua a few years ago with sand. You cannot do it as a fast bowler if your foot is moving."

 

[MenInG]

MICHAEL ATHERTON (on Sky Sports) wants more give when it comes to playing in the gloom...

"If the ground is too boggy to play, it’s too boggy to play. The frustration comes from the light. There is room in there for a bit more flexibility. If you ask any international umpire they will always use a light meter and always set a benchmark reading for the game. The regulations allow for a bit more flexibility and for umpires to say ‘this is a No 3 batsman, not a No 8 batsman, the pitch is flat, we will allow play’. Why the umpires don’t do that is because they want to be seen to be fair to both sides but I think this is an issue the game has to grasp."