Officials deny leaky covers caused rain delay at Australia v South Africa SCG cricket Test

Officials have denied that leaky wet weather covers were to blame for delays in the rain-effected Sydney Cricket Ground Test between Australia and South Africa, but an English cricket great has blasted the excuse.

SCG groundstaff went back to using a blank set of covers on day four after the set stamped with NRMA Insurance advertising apparently caused an embarrassing leak onto the wicket square.

The groundstaff had been asked by Cricket Australia to use the new covers – which ironically were emblazoned with the insurance company’s tagline ‘HELP’. 

Officials have denied that leaky wet weather covers were to blame for delays in the rain-effected Sydney Cricket Ground Test between Australia and South Africa, but an English cricket great has blasted the excuse

SCG groundstaff went back to using a blank set of SCG covers on day four after the set stamped with NRMA Insurance advertising apparently caused an embarrassing leak onto the wicket square

Damage to the square wasn’t too serious, but it’s understood that water got through around the logos and made extra work for the groundstaff.

Cricket Australia and Venues NSW released joint-statement to explain what exactly happened with the sponsored covers.

Damage to the square wasn’t too serious, but it’s understood that water got through around the logos and made extra work for the groundstaff

‘Ground staff and the cricket operations team have confirmed there were no delays in play due to a small leak in the covers,’ the statement read.

‘The delay to play today was caused by a small section of sodden turf off the wicket square where water had accumulated overnight. The SCG had 56mm of rain overnight and this morning.

‘NRMA Insurance had no involvement in the construction of the covers or the requirement for them to be used for this match and ground staff had no issue with the new set of covers.’

Former English player Isa Guha slammed the state of covers used in Australia compared to England.

Former English player Isa Guha (pictured) slammed the state of covers used in Australia compared to England

‘For a ground of the magnitude of the MCG and as iconic as the SCG … you think of all the history and tradition, I’m staggered really by the level of coverage on the grounds. You would think they could invest in some better covers,’ Guha said on Fox Cricket’s broadcast of the game.

‘You have the hover covers at Lord’s that come off really quickly and then at the Oval it literally covers the whole of the ground across the square for moments like this where bowlers are looking around at the pitch ends where it can be a bit dangerous. I’m pretty staggered that it’s not better equipped.’

Meanwhile, SCG Trust chairman Tony Shepherd is adamant the Sydney Test must remain in its New Years timeslot, despite having been interrupted by rain for six of the last seven years.

Shepherd said the SCG would not surrender its New Years timeslot, despite conceding the La Nina weather pattern of the past two years had brought the ground’s bad run of weather into sharper focus.

SCG Trust chairman Tony Shepherd is adamant the Sydney Test must remain in its New Years timeslot, despite having been interrupted by rain for six of the last seven years

‘This is the tradition. We’ve just got to live with the climate,’ Shepherd said on SEN on Saturday.

‘We do get a bit of rain here and sometimes it does disrupt play, but we’ve just got to get through that.

‘It’ll be a good season next year because I think we’re going to get El Nino (weather pattern) next year, which will mean we will be in the middle of a drought.’