More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
Kent chief executive Paul Millman agreed that cricket had 'shot itself in the foot' in Canterbury on Tuesday night where Kent's NatWest Pro40 game had to be abandoned because heavy winds restricted the use of the floodlights.
The huge, lorry-mounted floodlights which are hired from the ECB for the specific purpose cannot be raised under health and safety laws if winds gust beyond 20 knots and they remained above that level for much of the day.
ECB playing regulations prohibited an early start or a shortened game, so the match started with the officials knowing that, in all likelihood, daylight would run out soon after 8pm and that the second innings would be severely curtailed.
As it turned out Leicestershire reached 23-2 after just six overs in reply to Kent's 226-7 when the game had to be stopped through bad light at 8.10pm.
Afterwards Mr Millman said the club would be offering refunds, and added: "The locals don't like it and I don't blame them to be honest. It's very frustrating for them and for us. It's not a good evening for cricket either.
"It's unusual to have this level of wind in August but we should be able to do better than this. Tonight it wasn't to be.
"If people who have come tonight return to the club office with their tickets we will make sure they get full value for their money. We're hugely sympathetic.
"We don't set out to deliver something like this, Kent are a good side this year and we want people to watch them at their best.
"Because of the regulations we had to set out on a 40-over journey, we had our 40 overs and it wasn't possible to get another 40 in but those are the rules of the road I'm afraid and we have to go with them.
"Because of this inconvenience, the club will offer a full refund to every person who purchased a ticket for tonight's game.
"All they need do is send in their ticket to receive a refund to the face value of the ticket you purchased."
No personal visits will be accepted so supporters should send tickets, together with a stamp addressed envelope, to the the club at St Lawrence ground, Canterbury, Kent CT1 3NZ.
Mr Millman added that the problem might also have been avoided had Kent been able to press ahead with their £10m redevelopment plan, which has presently hit the buffers.
He added: "Part of our development plan here is to have permanent, yet retractable lights. That's still on track, in a year or so perhaps we'll have them in place and then maybe wouldn't have this problem, but not tonight I'm afraid.
"It is slow going getting any project off the ground at the moment and we're about six months behind schedule but hopefully we'll get it all done in the course of time."
* Kent v Leicestershire - in pictures - click here *
