Headingley farce as England’s first one-day international against Ireland is abandoned with no play due to ‘saturated outfield’ despite the rain easing off almost three hours earlier

• The game was abandoned just before 5pm without a ball being bowled
• Rain had stopped just after 2pm, 90 minutes after the scheduled start time
• Boos greeted the decision by umpires Mike Burns and Adrian Holdstock 

Cricket left itself open to ridicule and embarrassment on Wednesday when England’s first one-day international against Ireland was called off amid farcical scenes at Headingley.

The game was abandoned just before 5pm without a ball being bowled even though rain had stopped in Leeds just after 2pm, 90 minutes after the scheduled start time.

Boos greeted the decision by umpires Mike Burns and Adrian Holdstock from the smattering of spectators left on the ground who had waited patiently for a shortened game that should have been possible by 5pm at the latest.

Instead a ‘saturated outfield’ was blamed for the abandonment, in particular a wet patch which had somehow got under the covers on the bowler’s run up at the Kirkstall Lane End the officials deemed would have been dangerous.

Now the teams will move on to Trent Bridge for the second match on Saturday without Joe Root, who was thwarted in his attempt to gain 50-over rhythm ahead of the World Cup and will now rest before England leave for India on Wednesday.

England’s first ODI against Ireland was called off amid farcical scenes at Headingley

The game was abandoned just before 5pm without a ball being bowled on Wednesday

Boos greeted the decision by umpires Mike Burns and Adrian Holdstock

The frustration was made worse because of the number of inspections the umpires made seemingly only delaying the inevitable because they clearly did not feel the ground was fit.

Attempts by ground-staff to dry the outfield were minimal and the 30-yard fielding restriction circle was never even put in place. Instead token inspections were made.

‘I was pretty hopeful we’d get a game to be honest,’ said Zak Crawley, who was due to make his first appearance as England captain. ‘But rain started later than forecast. I was very disappointed we didn’t play.

‘It was just the run up at this end, really. It wasn’t fit to play and that was probably the right call in the end. It was very wet and would have churned up if we’d played.

‘It wouldn’t have been fit for the bowlers. You have guys tearing in and you don’t want players not being able to perform at their best.

‘I’m not sure what happened because the bit of the ground that was wet was covered up. We were unlucky with the weather leading up to the game and this morning as well. But I’m not sure there was anything more the groundsman could have done.’

That may be so but yet again with cricket there was a complete lack of flexibility. If one end wasn’t fit then there should be nothing in the rules to stop the umpires deciding all the bowling should come from the same end.

Former cricket umpire and Yorkshire icon Dickie Bird was among the fans who waited patiently

No play was possible at Headingley despite attempts by ground-staff to dry the outfield 

It is the last thing troubled Yorkshire needed, coming so soon after the Azeem Rafiq racism scandal that engulfed the county and the financial crisis that resulted from it.

At least insurance will cover refunds to spectators who had paid up to £110 for tickets to see what became a second-string England squad against low key opponents in Ireland.

But it is not the first time there has been rain-related controversies at Headingley. In 2009 Yorkshire were forced to defend their new drainage system when a one-day international against West Indies was abandoned despite sun shining all day.

Most famously, in 1991, blocked drains forced play in England’s Test against West Indies to be called off, with umpire Dickie Bird feeling the full force of the crowd’s anger.

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