Day one of Otago's Plunket Shield match against Wellington yesterday was abandoned without a ball bowled.
Initially, rain delayed the start of play but there were also multiple issues preventing the players from taking the field.
A damp patch on the pitch would have delayed the start had it not been raining, and there were also problems with the makeshift sightscreens and the bowler's run ups at one end.
The venue did not have permanent sightscreens so a container had been placed at each end, he said. They were sited poorly and had to be shifted by a truck; there were also concerns they were not long enough to provide adequate coverage.
Mascarenhas said the bowler's run ups were the biggest problem - missing patches of grass at one end had left the surface slippery.
''The covers leaked so there was a wet patch in the middle of the wicket. ''The sightscreens weren't in the right place, so we needed a truck to come and move those because they are big containers. They are probably a touch short but that is what we've got here and something we have to deal with.
''But it was mainly the run ups. At one end they are not up to scratch.''
Mascarenhas did not know if there was any prospect of shifting the game to another venue. ''All I know is what the umpires have told me and that is we are back [today] for a 10am start. But it is disappointing to lose another day of cricket.
''It probably could have been avoided. The facilities aren't good enough for first class cricket.''
Otago's match against Central Districts in Queenstown last week was ruined by poor weather, so the team had not had a lot of cricket lately, which was frustrating, Mascarenhas said.#ach slams problem plagued park
