SPOTSWOOD was livid with the state of the pitch for its season-defining Victorian Turf Cricket Association senior division clash with St Bernard's Old Collegians at Murphy Oval, West Essendon, on Saturday.
The wickets tumbled after the Woodsmen were sent in to bat on the opening day. They managed just 106.
Their batsmen were subjected to "disgraceful" conditions contributing to their second-lowest score of the summer, according to club president John Wheeler.
"In hindsight, we probably shouldn't have played," he said.
"Keilor Park refused to play on the top ground so I don't know why we played. Their curator was on holidays so it wasn't prepared."
Wheeler will discuss the pitch conditions and outfield at a midweek meeting.
On the agenda will be whether the Woodsmen lodge an official complaint to the VTCA.
What will not help the club's case is the Snowdogs' response with the bat, but he is armed with photos taken of the pitch on the day.
The home side cantered to stumps on 0-130.
"We're going to have to discuss it," Wheeler said. "If they weren't none-for at stumps it would have helped our case."
Snowdogs president Anthony Jordan admitted the pitch "didn't look good". But he denied the conditions had a role to play in the visitors' low first innings total.
"It shouldn't have been presented like that, but the curator had a couple of problems and couldn't make it to the ground," Jordan said.
"It had plenty of rolling, it was hard and it played quite well. It wasn't to blame for any dismissals."
Wheeler also hit out at his own players for their lamentable display after tea.
While the Snowdogs rode their luck on occasions, the Woodsmen went 39 overs without a wicket in one of the most important matches of the summer.
"We saw this as a chance to have a crack at the finals," Wheeler said.
"That's one of the most disappointing displays I've seen for some time."
Woodsmen coach Dion Kratz concurred, adding: "It was a pretty ordinary day". One positive to come out of the opening day was the debut of leg-spinner Luke Salmond. The under-17 skipper is a fourth generation player at McLean Reserve.
Yarraville Club is facing stern resistance from the Royal Park-Brunswick middle-order on the opening day at the Walker Oval.
The Clubbers made a disappointing 178 with skipper Justin Baker the saviour with 72 and Adrian Cullen contributing 36.
The Royals were on their knees at 6-34 until Glenn Contessa (7no) and Rhys Bloomfield (40no) breathed life into the run chase to lead the visitors to 6-82 at stumps.
Three ducks at the top of the order did not help Altona North's cause in their clash with Old Essendon Grammarians at Crofts Reserve.
At one stage, North were 3-0 before a late revival saw them scrounge 137 off 62.5 overs. The Bombers are 3-19 in reply.
■Kingsville Baptists are likely to be on the receiving end of a shock loss to second-last north B1 side Flemington Gulls away at Walter Street Reserve.
The Baptists were sent packing for a meagre 114 in 52 overs.
The Gulls were coasting at 1-57.
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