Hawke's Bay cricket match abandoned after 'misunderstanding' over racial comment

Hawke's Bay Cricket Association CEO Craig Findlay said the incident that ended the match was a misunderstanding that was blown out of proportion. Photo / File

A cricket match in Hawke's Bay was abandoned after an umpire ruled a teenaged player had racially abused an opposition batter.

However, Hawke's Bay Cricket Association CEO Craig Findlay said the match ended because of a misunderstanding.

"HB Cricket are aware of what happened and are dealing with it accordingly and at this stage aren't in a position to comment,'' FIndlay said

The match was between a Napier Tech Year 11 to 13 side and a visiting Western ASA Blue X1, made up of players of Indian, Sri Lankan and Pakistani heritage.

The Western Districts School Children's Cricket Association (WDSCA) told Hawke's Bay Today it was in the process of dealing with the incident with the Auckland Cricket Association.

WDSCA president Lynn Fuller said they could not comment further as they were awaiting a report from the coach of the Auckland Blue XI.

The Twenty20 match was being played at Cornwall Park on Thursday, and cricket app CricHQ shows the match stopped with one ball to go, in the 20th over of the first innings.

A no-ball had been bowled on the sixth ball in the over, meaning a seventh ball should have been bowled.

Western ASA Blue X1 had won the toss and chose to bat.

They were 104 for 9 wickets at the time the match was called off. The second innings did not resume, and CricHQ noted that "there has been a match delay due to 'other'.

The match took place on the final day of the Year 11-13 grade tournament of the Hawke's Bay Cricket Camps.