LANCASHIRE groundsman Peter Marron today explained the unusual circumstances which forced last night's rain-ruined National League clash against Warwickshire Bears to be played on a bizarre-looking pitch. The game lasted less than 11 overs but, in that time, England opener Nick Knight was struck on the thumb by a nasty rising delivery from Peter Martin as Warwickshire limped to 46 for four.

Young pacemen Mike Smethurst took two wickets and there was one each for Muttiah Muralitharan and Ian Austin.

But the Lancashire batsmen, including Mike Atherton who returned for his first one-day appearance or the season, must have been relieved that they didn't have to face Allan Donald on a pitch with several cracks and other green patches - even though they were denied the chance to move within two points of National League leaders Yorkshire Phoenix.

But, as Marron explained, it was simply the only pitch he had available. "We are limited on which pitches we can use for televised matches like last night's," he said, because of the camera demands of television, including the Stump Cam.

"We've got to save one of them for the Test Match against New Zealand, and the one-day international pitch was used during the World Cup.

"Two more of the ones we can use for TV matches are unavailable until 2000 because they have been re-laid, and the last one is tired after being used for a few games recently, including the floodlit game against Essex, and needs a rest."

The pitch for last night's game was last used for the Championship game against Northants in May.

But Marron's problems are only going to increase in the coming weeks with three big games coming up against Yorkshire in the NatWest Trophy quarter final, another floodlit National League game and then the Championship. Today Lancashire were travelling to Southampton for the Championship game against Hampshire starting tomorrow.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.