Jos Buttler frustrated by England-Australia washout but insists ‘right call’ was made

“They [the umpires] had some big concerns and, I think, rightly so,” Buttler said, after a series of inspections had led to an abandonment at 8.49pm local time. “The outfield is very wet, there are some areas within the 30-yard circle which were not fit to play. As much as we all want to play cricket, it has to be safe and it certainly wasn’t that.”

The abandonment followed heavy rains which have lashed Melbourne for much of the past two days. Even though the rain had eased by the time this contest was due to start, the outfield remained too wet, with both captains understood to be reluctant to risk their fast bowlers in damp conditions.

“I think every bowler who bowled there would have had concerns,” Buttler said. “Player safety is really important and it wasn’t fit to play whether it’s our bowlers or Australia’s bowlers. I think that the right call was made.”

“I don’t really have any frustrations. I am not a weather expert in Australia at this time of the year, but we all want to play full games of cricket. Of course we do. Naturally we play a sport which is in the open air and the elements are a huge part of our game. They affect the surfaces we play on, they affect conditions in an intriguing way, and that’s what makes our sport really unique.

“But now, unfortunately, we’ve had two games affected by the weather. You don’t want to be involved in those games, but it’s going to happen wherever you play in the world. Certainly in some places you play, you’re generally going to be affected by some weather at some point and it’s a shame tonight, especially for everybody involved.

“But there wasn’t any pressure from anyone [to play today]. Common sense prevailed. As disappointing as it is, as I’ve just mentioned, for everybody involved the conditions weren’t fit.”

Buttler said he sympathised with the fans, insisting England would rather have played the game, whatever the outcome, rather than take a draw without a ball being bowled.

“All the fans who came to watch this game live, and everyone wanting to watch on TV, it’s disappointing for them. For players especially: Australia against England at the MCG is a must-win World Cup match, as as big as it gets in your career. They’re the games you want to be involved in, no matter what the result is going to be. It’s something you want to experience as you don’t know how often those kinds of opportunities come around. There is a element of sadness that you don’t get to win, lose or draw.”

But he was adamant that, as long as England controlled their own destiny, they wouldn’t concern themselves with other results.

“Until something’s completely out of our control, we won’t worry about that,” he said. “We know we’ve got two games left to play. And we want to win those two games, and give ourselves the best chance to get through to the next round.”