The Hindu : Sport : Washout yet again

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Dec 04, 2005

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Sport

Washout yet again

S. Ram Mahesh

The damage was done on Friday night

Photo: Shaju John

HEAT TREATMENT: The enterprising groundsmen use an iron box to dry the pitch.

Chennai: When journalists turn part weathermen, looking up references to `Monsoon: North east' before proceeding to scratch noses and think up metaphors describing clouds — black bursting grapes perhaps? — the news from the middle usually reflects the gathering gloom in the press box.

An inspection at 1.15 p.m. confirmed what those who had turned up already knew: the second successive washout of day's play in the first of three Tests between India and Sri Lanka.

"Some areas of the outfield are unwalkable really," said umpire Daryl Harper indicating the slush in the cover and mid-wicket areas. "We are pretty confident we won't get a nine a.m. start, but if there is no rain tonight then sometime tomorrow (we will have play)." Though the remaining days are scheduled to begin at nine a.m. with a minimum of 97 overs each day, a heavy shower on Saturday evening has dented chances of play on the third day.

The sun played peek-a-boo on Saturday and the only sign of rain was a mist of gossamer strands; there was still no cricket. The damage had been done the previous night.

The ground staff persevered — raking the outfield to improve percolation, digging up wet patches and scattering sand to improve absorption, and even using a hot-coals-powered iron to dry out a portion of the pitch. The mechanised Super Sopper also groaned into operation.

Indian captain Rahul Dravid and coach Greg Chappell appeared and spoke to the curator. Dravid walked along the periphery, stopping to slap palms with "die-hard" fans through the square grills in the stand before inspecting wet patches. The team, he said, after eleven ODIs was match-fit and hoping to give Chennai's knowledgeable fans some good cricket.

Hard work

Curator K. Parthasarathy said this was only the second time since his first Test in 1972, that he had had to work this hard to get the game underway. He said the danger with covering a ground for too long was the water that seeped through took longer to evaporate.

Even if the weather gods relent, there remains little chance of a result. The track's threatening, crazy-paving cracking before the first day, with possible wet spots because of sweating under the covers, will be challenging, not unplayable. And the match-fixing imbroglio has made any thoughts of forfeiting innings about as welcome as a cross-dressing alcoholic at a black-tie dinner.

So, while Sachin Tendulkar may still go past Sunil Gavaskar's record of 34 Test centuries at a ground that has witnessed many a stirring deed from him, the series condenses into a two-Test shootout.

In cricket, the shorter the duration of the contest, the closer the two teams are drawn together. Sri Lanka came to India looking to set right a record of no Test wins here, and the curtailment of the first Test improves its chances. Further, the M.A. Chidambaram has been a happy hunting ground for the home team — it has won 11 of 27 matches here.

The venues for the next two Tests, Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi (eight wins in 27 Tests) and Gujarat Stadium, Ahmedabad (two wins in seven Tests) have been less profitable for India. The islanders, short on confidence, minus the influential Sanath Jayasuriya and despite a defeat in the latter venue, will know a couple of good sessions may just allow an ambush.

The Indians, though in the ODI series against South Africa, have shown they can back-pedal and defend as well they can dominate — an aspect they have been found short at in duels abroad. A spiced-up Test series may be the only silver lining in what have been very dark clouds.

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