There were dramatic scenes in Manchester on Saturday evening as the highly anticipated Vitality Netball Superleague match between Manchester Thunder and Hertfordshire Mavericks was abandoned after fifteen minutes.
A leak in the roof at the Thunderdome had originally delayed the action by 35 minutes as the umpires, teams and Superleague representatives discussed the ongoing situation.
It was agreed by all parties that the match would go ahead, under the arrangement that the standard of the playing conditions would be monitored throughout the game.
Unfortunately, the situation worsened with the leak leaving surface water on the court at increasingly regular intervals. Play had to be halted on several occasions in the first quarter for the court to be cleaned.
With no sign of improvement and an increasing concern for player safety, the umpires once again consulted with the Superleague General Manager during the break in play.
Following these discussions, the decision was taken to abandon the match. Player welfare must be considered a priority and the court was deemed unsafe for the game to continue.
The Superleague Operational Committee are now in discussions with a view to assessing the option of rescheduling the fixture.
England Netball would like to thank the umpires, the franchises and all of the fans who attended the game on Saturday for their understanding of this incredibly difficult situation.
Further details will be released in the coming days regarding the possibility of a rearranged fixture.
