Worcestershire's Return to New Road Ends in Frustrating Washout

Worcestershire's eagerly anticipated return to their home ground, Visit Worcestershire New Road, for the Vitality County Championship match against Nottinghamshire ended in disappointment as the first day was washed out due to a persistent damp patch on the bowlers' run-up at the New Road End.

Despite the club's efforts to switch their opening two home games to Kidderminster due to eight floods that engulfed the ground during the winter, the persistent rain on Wednesday left a section of the ground saturated.

Groundstaff worked tirelessly to dry out the affected area, even digging out blocks of turf and cooking them on a diesel heater in the groundsman's shed. However, the umpires, Nigel Llong and Surendiran Shanmugam, decided at 1.30pm to abandon play for the day, citing the outfield as "way too wet."

The washout has raised concerns about the future of New Road as a suitable venue for cricket. Ashley Giles, Worcestershire's chief executive, had previously admitted that the club was exploring the possibility of a permanent move to a new home.

"I don't think we can carry on like this," Giles told BBC Hereford and Worcester in April. "It's costing us a lot of money. The ground is here to stage cricket, to be a venue for entertainment and hospitality. But conditions are seemingly getting worse."

The club's financial situation is also a factor, with the constant flooding and the need for repairs putting a strain on resources. The washout has further deepened the uncertainty surrounding New Road's future, leaving the club and its supporters facing an uncertain future.

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