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Vic and WA share points over bad pitch

3 minute read

Cricket Australia has confirmed the abandoned Sheffield Shield game between Victoria and Western Australia at the MCG won't be rescheduled.

Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Cricket Ground Picture: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

Victoria and Western Australia will share the points for the abandoned Sheffield Shield match at the MCG, after it couldn't be rescheduled.

Cricket Australia had originally tried to reschedule the match for after the Big Bash season, following its cancellation due to a dangerous pitch.

However they confirmed on Thursday that would not be possible in the cluttered domestic schedule, meaning both teams would receive three points for the match.

"Any rescheduling would have included all teams having significantly shortened, and unreasonable, breaks in the post-Christmas Shield window," CA's head of operations Peter Roach said.

"Most affected would have been Western Australia and Victoria that would have played five matches (and potentially the final), each with shortened breaks.

"Playing the match would also have compromised the preferred venue of the WACA due to their current schedule of matches post-Christmas."

The MCG's problematic wicket square has remained in the headlines after two summers of slow pitches and the weekend's abandonment.

However CA are confident it won't remain an issue headed into the Boxing Day Test, given it was a different pitch strip and the curator had made a deliberate attempt to liven it up.

Under old rules, Victoria would have lost the points for the match given they were not able to provide a suitable playing venue.

However the laws were changed in 2016/17 following anger from NSW when Victoria were awarded all six points at a wet SCG, four years ago.

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