First one-dayer ends in a watery grave

Elmo Rodrigopulle reporting

After a frustrating wait and with ground being covered in darkness and a drizzle that was continuing and threatening to get worse, umpires Ian Gould and Ranmore Martinez in consultation with Match Referee Andy Pycroft decided to call off the game due to rain thus burying the First One-Day International between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in a watery grave at the Pllekele Stadium on Thursday.

The rainy weather that has hit the country after a long drought is expected to continue and it is hoped that it will relent and allow some cricket to be played.

The rains that started just after Sri Lanka Captain Mahela Jayewardene finished his pre-match press conference on Wednesday, continued throughout the night and the morning and when my colleagues – Vernon Gunesekera and Pictures Editor Kamal Jayamanne and I arrived on the ground, it was still pelting down.

Looking around from the Media Box, it was a terribly overcast and the hills surrounding the Palekele Stadium –Hatane, Rikiligaskanda and Hunasgeriya which stand in all it splendour on a sunny day were covered by mist.

The covers that came on the ground after the Twenty20 game,remained that way and were covered by pools of water. Draining the water and taking the covers off wass going to take a lot of time and with the weather not likely to improve, the chances of a ball being bowled looks impossible.

It has been raining from the day we arrived in Pallekele (Tuesday) for the Twenty20 and the start of the One-Day International series between New Zealand Sri Lanka. The Twenty20 was abandoned after New Zealand who were put in to bat made 74 for 7 in overs and in reply Sri Lanka were 6 for no loss in two overs when the rains that came down forced the match to be abandoned.

In that game the Sri Lankan seam bowlers revelled in the overcast conditions. Angelo Mathews who was officially leading Sri Lanka for the first time, started his captaincy career on an auspicious note when he tossed the coin and looked elated when it turned his way.

Opening the bowling he was an example. Although he went wicket less, he pitched on a good line and length, moved the ball disconcertingly and his bowlers, Nuwan Kulesekera, Thisara Perera followed his example as their figures of 2 for 6 and 2 for 4 prove. Young spinner Akila Dhananjaya who seems to be improving with each outing bowled a telling spell to mesmerize the Kiwi batmen and grab 2 for 9. More exposure should see him getting better. The Kiwi batsmen did not seem to have the technique to counter the moving ball. Pallekele, Thursday.