A domestic match in the West Indies has been abandoned for a dangerous pitch after batter Jeremiah Louis was hit on the helmet.
Leeward Islands’ Louis was taken to hospital with a possible concussion after a length ball from Trinidad and Tobago and West Indies seamer Jayden Seales reared and hit him in the side of the head during the first session of day three.
Louis fell to the floor before removing his helmet and beating the ground in frustration. He then kicked his helmet in the direction of a short-leg fielder and walked towards the pavilion.
A Cricket West Indies statement said Louis is in a stable condition.
The statement added the match, held at the Sir Vivian Richards stadium in Antigua, had been called off because the playing surface displayed “unpredictable and uneven behaviour, raising serious concerns for player safety”.
“Following discussions with the curator, it was determined that the pitch could not be safely repaired without creating an unfair advantage and was therefore deemed unfit to resume, resulting in the match being abandoned as a draw,” it added.
Prior to the abandonment, Seales had taken all seven wickets as Leeward Islands fell to 140-7.
The stadium, which regularly hosts international cricket, is supposed to host the final of the tournament – West Indies’ domestic first-class competition – from 17 May.
Cricket West Indies said “all necessary resources and expertise will be deployed to ensure the preparation of a safe and competitive playing surface”.