We're fighting a losing battle - Regan

22 May 2009 | By Justin Goulding

Stewart Regan claims washed-out matches are inevitable in this country

Yorkshire chief executive Stewart Regan insists cricket will never win the battle with the English weather – new drainage systems or not.

The opening match of the NatWest Series between England and West Indies yesterday was abandoned without a ball being bowled after overnight rain and another downpour in the morning soaked Headingley Carnegie.

After the game Regan was forced to fend off criticism of his decision to install a new drainage system over the winter, which was completed just before the start of the domestic season.

He claims there is nothing more Yorkshire could have done to prevent the first one-day international of the summer being washed out, and thinks it is an impossible task trying to combat the elements.

“The whole of cricket in a country which is affected by rain is a gamble,” he said.

“We’re in a difficult country that has got unusual weather and has more rain than most.

“We play cricket early in the season, when it rains. That’s the unfortunate climate that we live in.

“We can plan and prepare lots of things as a cricket club, but we play cricket matches every day and we can’t legislate for rain.

“If someone could come up with the funding to build a huge dome with a roof on, then they’d be the best friend of chief executives in county cricket.”

Yorkshire’s new drainage system was paid for by a £600,000 ECB grant, part of a £22million redevelopment at Headingley that will include a new pavilion, giant screen and 600 extra seats.

Lord’s is widely acknowledged as having one of the most efficient drainage systems in the world, installed ahead of the 2007 season at a cost of more than £1million.

Regan, however, insisted: “I don’t regret for a minute not getting a better drainage system because the club cannot afford to put a drainage system in like that.

“The ground has been signed off as being more than suitable for handling international cricket matches.”

Headingley stages the fourth Ashes Test on August 7, and Regan was quick to allay fears that a similar situation could arise then.

“This sort of project doesn’t happen overnight, but we’ve got a fabulous system and it will get better,” he added.

“It’s difficult without a crystal ball to know what something will be like in August when we’ve only just put it in.

“Having been able to verti-drain the pitch and get more air into it, and do what the pitch consultants advise us, we’re more than confident it will go ahead.”