Cricket fall-out: Poloc pro says pitch KO would never have happened in South Africa

Jul 2 2009 By Matthew Leslie

POLOC batsman Hancke Oscar von Rauenstein has demanded that no more pitch excuses be given to opponents after the Clydesdale cup-tie farce.

As reported last week, the south rivals were due to meet in the Scottish Cup only for Clydesdale to back out claiming the pitch was unsafe.

Cricket Scotland beaks then demanded the game be replayed and warned Poloc to ensure pitch safety was guaranteed.

However, given that the two sides played on the same pitch 72 hours after the call-off in a Twenty/20 match and that the offending track looked fine to The Glaswegian when we inspected it, Poloc were furious at the verdict and withdrew from the Scottish Cup.

Hancke said: "It was strange but it seems our groundsman who does an excellent job will have to put in some extra hours with the heavy roller if the smallest of things can be picked upon by others.

"Games have been started and finished on worse tracks and our pitch was fine - I've never experienced anything like this in South Africa and wouldn't expect to.

"The strange thing was that days later we played Clydesdale in a Twenty/20 match on that same pitch. But we now know that everything has to be pristine and we can't give anyone the slightest excuse to object."

Poloc spokesman Keith Young added: "Our decision to withdraw from the Scottish Cup is not one which has been taken lightly.

"We are giving up a game against our local rivals which traditionally attracts our biggest crowd of the season and brings in crucial revenue.

"But there is a clear point of principle and that is why we have acted as we have in spite of any potential consequences for our future involvement in the Scottish Cup.

"We find ourselves backed into a corner because if we replayed the fixture it would appear like an admission that we accept the decision. We are not conceding the tie but withdrawing from the tournament."

Cricket Scotland spokesman Stewart Oliver said Poloc's decision may have further repercussions for the club.

He said: "Their decision to pull out has been forwarded to the Competitions Committee for consideration.

"In the past we have seen a club being excluded from the following year's competition for failing to fulfil a fixture."

Meanwhile, Poloc's First Division woes continued when they were hammered at home by Stoneywood-Dyce by 127 runs.

The visitors closed on 212 for five but Poloc crashed to 85 all out - a week after Drumpellier had bowled them out for 56.

Von Rauenstein said: "Not surprisingly, we'll be working hard in the nets to sort out our batting.

"We're just not getting any partnerships going and you need those to set or chase down a decent total.

"The team are not down but maybe we need to think smaller. Instead of, lets get 250 off this pitch, we should take each over as it comes scoring as many runs as we can off it without losing any wickets."

Elsewhere, West of Scotland slipped to third in the Premier League after losing a five-wicket thriller at Carlton where the Edinburgh side won with four balls left. Clydesdale's match at Grange was rained off.

There was good news for Poloc however when their under-15s thrashed Carlton by 10 wickets to win the Scottish Cup Final at Stirling last weekend.

They will now play against the top English and Welsh clubs in a nationwide competition.