Clarke slams covering and practice facilities

Australia captain Michael Clarke criticised the state of covering at English grounds as the row over Tuesday's Twenty20 wash-out at Old Trafford rumbled on.

The match was abandoned, without a ball being bowled, primarily because the umpires ruled that a wet patch had made the bowlers' run-ups at one end unsafe.

Australia pace great Jeff Thomson labelled the players "soft" for not going ahead with the game but Clarke, speaking to reporters at the Oval on Thursday where a seven-match one-day series starts on Friday, said: "Weather seems to be the biggest concern over here in England, whether it be overs lost or games being cancelled.

"Maybe the covering system of grounds is something the counties can continue to look at. The wicket is the first priority, trying to keep that dry, but second to that are the bowlers' run-ups.

"Both ends were just not up to scratch. That's the main reason why I believe the umpires didn't see the grounds fit."

Friday's match will be Australia's first at the Oval since England's 197-run fifth Test win here last month secured the Ashes series 2-1.

LONDON, Friday, AFP