Doncaster Town awarded semi-final place after Sheffield Collegiate's 'unfit pitch' causes abandonment

Sunday’s last eight tie at Abbeydale was halfway through the second innings when the umpires ruled that the pitch was unsafe.

Doncaster had laboured to 117 all out in 36.4 overs. Collegiate were 56-5 from 17.5 overs when the players were brought off the field.

The league committee has since awarded Town the win and they will host Wakefield Thornes in the semi-final on July 28.

A pitch report is expected to find that the damage was caused by bowlers’ follow-throughs from the day before.

A Doncaster player told The Star: “The umpires deemed the pitch to be unsafe and weren’t prepared to see someone get seriously injured on their watch.

“James Stuart (quick bowler) was bowling on a length and a couple took off over the batsman and wicketkeeper stood up.

“There was no real arguments between the teams about the decision. A few of our players were slightly frustrated that we had batted on it, got their best batsmen out and the game was three quarters done.

“Collegiate bowled at least 25 overs of spin so nothing drastic happened in the first innings. There was one that shot up in the third over.

“No one was injured or got hit but the umpires felt it was inevitable and took measures to make sure it didn’t happen.”

Doncaster are top of the ECB Yorkshire South Premier League with nine games to go. They host third-placed Barnsley on Saturday.