The International Cricket Council (ICC) showed rare common sense and resolve yesterday by deeming a beach cricket pitch unsafe for play just 30 minutes into a particularly vigorous match. While the low tide had initially provided a tightly-packed and even surface, giving a bit to both bat and ball, conditions deteriorated rapidly after just a few overs.

In what is believed to be the first case of its kind, a representative from the ICC, who just happened to be on holiday at the beach where the game was being played, got up from his deck chair and shut the game down. Speaking exclusively to The Watsonia Bugle, the ICC rep said, “I’d been watching for most of the session and things just got out of hand really quickly. Length balls were rearing up at the throats of batsmen, and short balls were grubbing through at ankle height. It just wasn’t conducive to good cricket, and it posed a serious risk to the players. It was my duty to put an end to it.”

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