'Error of judgement' but cleared of pitch watering
by Alan Rowley / Gwyn Jones, 16th October 2001

After the most controversial game of the 2001 season, Sandiacre have been found not guilty of pitch watering, but were considered to have made an "error of judgement" in their pitch preparation.

The management committee of the Beechwood Saab Derbyshire Premier League met on Monday October 15th to consider a grievance raised by Ockbrook and Borrowash Cricket Club against Sandiacre Town Cricket Club. The grievance concerned the state of the pitch in the final game of the 2001 season played at Sandiacre on September 9th.

Ockbrook and Borrowash needed to win the game to make sure of being crowned Premier League champions for the 2001 season. However, the game produced the most surprising result of the season as Sandiacre skittled out the league leaders for just 44 runs. Sandiacre knocked off the runs for the loss of just two wickets, a defeat which saw Ockbrook slip to third in the final table.

After the game, Ockbrook skipper Dave Hallack (pictured here with Derbyshire skipper Dominic Cork) complained that "the ball did every thing" as the visiting players complained bitterly that the pitch had been watered. The pitch was said to be "saturated" at the start of play. Umpires Mick Morley and Alan Crooks marked the wicket as "poor" .

In a press release issued by the league. the decision of the Committee was announced as follows:

1. The Committee fully accepts Sandiacre's statement that they did not water the pitch.
2. The Committee considers that Sandiacre Town made a serious error of judgement in preparing the pitch, and in particular in the use of the artificial covering.