With Ed Cowan mounting a case for his Test aspirations, a dangerous SCG outfield has again halted play in NSW's Sheffield Shield clash with Victoria.
Umpires called off Saturday's play in the afternoon after three incidents in which Victorian players stumbled on the turf leading coach David Saker to describe the outfield as not up to first-class standards.
After a combination of rain and concern about the surface restricted play to just 34.2 overs during the first two days, NSW were 1-88 at stumps with Ed Cowan unbeaten on 48.
Play was delayed for several hours on Saturday morning because of concern about the amount of water on the surface around the centre wicket area.
Fears about potential injury were heightened when Victorian fielders Matthew Wade, Aaron Finch and Travis Dean all slipped over on different parts of the field within a few overs of each other.
Finch appeared to jar his knee when he dug into the surface attempting a sliding save at mid-off and play was halted shortly after.
Saker said the Australian one-day opener had suffered a sore knee but it was not thought to be serious.
The state of the pitch was not a good look just two months out from the New Year's Test at the venue and less than a week after a New Zealand tour match was cancelled because of a crumbling pitch at Blacktown International Sportspark.
"NSW-Victoria games are usually great games because they're usually quality outfits and we were really looking forward to coming up here and playing a really good game of cricket," Saker said.
"But it's been marred by the conditions really.
"You don't expect in first-class cricket to get surrounds and outfields as bad as this ."
The SCG surface has a sand base but after heavy rain over the past week, water has not soaked in as quickly as ground staff would have hoped.
Large patches of sand were exposed around the centre wicket area and Saker said he feared for his players' safety, leading him to question whether the game will be allowed to continue with further rain predicted on Sunday.
"In first-class cricket you expect conditions to be suitable for cricket, Saker said.
"The wicket's fantastic but the outfield and surrounds are quite poor and dangerous."
Cowan, who will begin day three at the crease with Kurtis Patterson (29 not out), said while player safety was of the utmost importance, he had seen the SCG outfield in worse states.
"The facilities aren't up to what you'd expect at a Test venue which is disappointing," he said.
"That's not to say it wouldn't be possible to play cricket but I guess to play would put some in danger of hurting themselves and we don't want to see that."
Ryan Carters (9) was the only wicket to fall on day two, caught by Peter Handscomb off the bowling of Peter Siddle (1-23 off 11 overs).
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