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Cardiff pitch deemed too dangerous

Match abandoned at Swalec Stadium due to unpredictable surface just weeks after first Ashes Test between Australia and England

The centre wicket at Swalec Stadium in Cardiff, which was heavily criticised for being too batsman-friendly during the first Ashes Test less than three weeks ago, was on Sunday considered so dangerous and unpredictable that an English county match was abandoned.

The 50-over fixture between Glamorgan and Hampshire was called off in the early stages of the second innings after both umpires deemed the pitch unplayable.

The decision had the full support from the two captains after both of Hampshire's openers were struck on the helmet by deliveries that reared up off a length.

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Hampshire's Michael Carberry is struck on the helmet // Getty Images

"The situation is the two umpires have decided that the pitch is unplayable, it's unfit and have called the game off," said the ECB's liason officer Tony Pigott.

"It's very dry and it's turned in the first innings, it's unpredictable bounce."

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Pigott in discussion with Glamorgan captain Jacques Rudolph // Getty Images

Glamorgan's chief executive and director of cricket Hugh Morris said it was "a dark day for the club" and promised to launch an investigation.

It's the second time in 12 months that Glamorgan have come under the microscope for preparing a sub-standard pitch.

The county started this year's one-day competition on minus 2 having been docked two points for producing a poor surface for a match against Durham at Swalec Stadium last year.

And in 2007, they were penalised eight points by the ECB after a Championship match in Swansea ended inside two days, with 21 wickets falling on the opening day.

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Adams removes his helmet after being struck by a delivery // Getty Images

"We are desperately disappointed," Morris said. "The umpires determined it to be a dangerous pitch and they were right in making that determination. 

"We are extremely sorry to everyone watching the game and there will be a full refund and full inquiry.

"We are going to discuss what has gone wrong internally and we will do that immediately.

"This is something that we are desperately disappointed at. We were in a good position in this competition and playing some good cricket. We will find out what went wrong as quick as we can."

Glamorgan had managed to bat out their 50 overs in the difficult conditions, creeping their way to 9-152 on a surface that had turned sharply.

But a turning pitch became dangerous in the second innings when Hampshire's Michael Carberry and then Jimmy Adams were struck on the helmet by lifting deliveries.

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Carberry takes a moment to compose himself after being hit // Getty Images

Adams was hit on the side of head having played forward to a length delivery from Australian quick Michael Hogan in the seventh over, prompting umpires Paul Baldwin and Neil Mallender to consult with skippers Jacques Rudolph and James Vince before calling off the match.

"The whole situation isn't ideal, it's a real shame for both teams and the crowd," Adams said.

"One had slightly gone up at Carbs a bit earlier and a few maybe in the Glamorgan innings too but nothing too bad.

"You play in wickets all the time that offer a bit of variable bounce but that one was pretty extreme and I think that was why there was a general meeting.

"Fortunately there's no damage done. If it goes again and it's doing it off that sort of length then it does fall into the officials' hands."

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Assistance is called for as the surface becomes dangerous // Getty Images

The same pitch had been used for a 50-over match between Glamorgan and Essex two days before Sunday's game, with the home side racking up 288 on a surface that was "rated above average", according to Morris.

Sunday's match was shown live on Sky Sports with the broadcaster making a last minute decision to cover the action when the third Ashes Test ended inside three days.

"We were always going to use this pitch regardless of Sky being here," Morris said.

"It's not unusual for us to use a pitch twice and it gave no indication it would play the way it did."

The surface for the first Ashes Test in mid-July - a different pitch to the one used on Sunday - was heavily criticised by the likes of Michael Vaughan, Ryan Harris and Geoffrey Boycott.

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Brad Haddin had to deal with variable bounce during the first Ashes Test // Getty Images

In addition to being slammed for being too batsman-friendly, the surface showed signs of unpredictable bounce from the very first over of the match when a delivery from Mitchell Starc bounced through to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin.

Swalec Stadium is the venue for a standalone Twenty20 international between England and Australia later this month.

Cases of matches being abandoned due to a dangerous pitch are rare, with the most famous instance coming in Jamaica in 1998 when the Test between the West Indies and England was abandoned after just 10.1 overs.

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