Change of ground

[NewUmp]

I was hoping for some advice.

Im currently umpiring a 2 day game, which is taking place over two consecutive Saturdays. We had the first day last weekend and all is good.
For reasons not known to me, the game venue has had to be switched for day 2.

My first concern was the boundaries, Im thinking of going to the original ground and putting in a middle stump at each end and measuring square to the wicket (effectively the extension of the bowling crease) and the length from both end, this gives me 6 data points and using that to create the boundary at the new ground.

Can anyone think of a better way?
What can I do, as an umpire, to make the game as equitable as possible?

Any help is appreciated, and out of interest is there anything in the laws about change of venue? I cant see anything but more experienced minds may prevail :-)

[Antipodean]

So I spent some time with Tom Smiths and the competition rules tonight. Got to love this on my first match

The only thing I can see that applies is 7.4 - Changing of the Pitch.
I don't think there's anything else in the laws or comp rules that's relevant?

My plan is to do my best to get cricket played, unless either captain brings it up prior to the start of play we'll play.
Only if a captain brings it up prior to play we'll bring the captains together, talk through the laws and act accordingly (either play with consent or abandoned without consent).

Thoughts?

[tippex2]

One thing you could do, particularly if the situation isn't covered in the relevant competition Rules, is to consult with colleagues (both your on-field colleague) and others with more experience on the Panel for this competition. They may be able to advise on whether there are precedents which have come up in the past - if there are and the situations are analogous then it would make a lot of sense to stick with what's been done in the past, rather than re-invent the wheel.

[Antipodean]

Thanks for that tippex, have sent a few emails and awaiting reply.

[Antipodean]

Just to finalise the story, all the best laid plans...

I lived about an hour a way from the ground. I always aim to be at the ground an hour before the match and leave a little time for delays. As I wanted to go to the ground of Day1 and measure the boundaires. I left an hour extra early to do that but I had to stop at a motor vehicle accident, in the end I had to go to the ground and got there 45 minutes before the start.

Boundary was marked out by the home team, opposition weren't happy. We said we would set up the stumps, giving us a view of the ground from angles and buying us some time. We did that, checked the laws/bylaws etc. In the end we told the coaches/captains if they couldn't agree on the boundaries we would set them out, which happened.

Cricket was played, the opposition coach remained unhappy but I think had we had surveryors laser measurements someone would have been unhappy.

Looking back, we probably should not have given the captains/coaches a chance to agree themselves. (We were thinking a not quite exact, but spirit of Law 3 interpretation) But you live and learn.

[jaybee]

Sounds to me like you did a good job. The fact that you discussed it with the other parties and gave them a chance to have their say gave you the moral high ground in a tricky situation. In the end you took a decision and that's what it's all about.
Often you can't please everybody - and sometimes you can't please anybody!