Rain washes out opening day's play in SSC Test

Sa'adi THAWFEEQ

TEST CRICKET: The opening day's play of the first cricket Test between Sri Lanka and Pakistan was washed out by rain at the SSC grounds yesterday.

Not a ball was bowled as heavy morning showers lashed across the ground leaving it submerged in water despite 90 percent of it being under covers.

Long-standing curator and Sri Lanka Cricket's (SLC) head inspector of pitches Anuruddha Polonowita said that the SSC had not experienced heavy rains of this nature for a long time.

"The ground took a large amount of water. We had four pumps working continuously but the water levels kept on rising," said Polonowita.

Umpires Rudi Koertzen and Steve Davis inspected the ground conditions and decided to call of play at 1 p.m. yesterday. Koertzen entered the grounds bare feet thus underlying to which extent the water levels had raised.

Play is due to commence today at 10 a.m. weather permitting. Polonowita said that if there were no further rain the ground would be ready for play on time today.

There was promise of that happening when the rains ceased soon after play was called off and the ground was bathed in sunshine. This resulted in the covers coming off the pitch for the first time.

The hot weather conditions experienced in the metropolis on Saturday with temperatures soaring to over 35 degrees Celsius resulted in Sunday's heavy downpour.

As a result, the test has now been confined to a four-day affair that is if a start is made today.

Otherwise, if there are any further delays through bad weather the chances are likely that the Test may eventually turn into a farce, not that a winning result cannot be reached inside a matter of three days. Even without interference from the weather Test matches have ended within that space of time.

The heavy downpour defeated everything, notwithstanding the fact that the SSC possessed one of the best drainage systems in the country.

Although there was a hint of sunshine at the beginning of the day, it was soon replaced by a gloom and a steady drizzle, which ruined any chances of play for the day.

Both teams preferred to stay within the confines of their hotels. The only figures present within the vicinity of the ground were the ball boys dressed immaculately in their whites eagerly hoping to get onto the field, but frustrated by the weather.

Whether the Test can begin today and go the full distance of five days is a decision the Cricket Boards of the two countries will have to decide on.

Both teams agreed to have an extra day for the last two one-day internationals in the case of any interference from bad weather, which meant a change in the itinerary.

A similar proposal from one of the sides could result in enabling the Test being played over five days, as there is enough room in the itinerary for adjustments to be made.

After all both teams have come to play cricket and all possibilities of getting maximum playing time should be explored if they have the game in mind.

The second Test is scheduled in Kandy from April 3-7 and the Sri Lanka team is not scheduled to leave for their tour of England until April 20. Pakistan on the other hand has no other international engagements till they follow Sri Lanka to England later in the summer.