by Tim de Lisle
Wednesday, December 19, 2001

Getting up at 4am to watch the cricket is one thing. Getting up at 4am not to watch the cricket is another, as England fans discovered in the middle of one of the longest nights of the year. The reason was that the start of play at Bangalore today was put back half an hour, to 10am local time, when the pitch was found to be dewy.

The decision was taken by the match referee, the South African Denis Lindsay, in consultation with the two captains, and it will apply to all five days, so the official hours of play are now 10am-5pm local time (4.30-11.30am GMT), with lunch at 12noon (6.30am GMT) and tea at 2.40pm.

The same thing happened at Ahmedabad last week. Perhaps Jagmohan Dalmiya, when he has finished tearing up itineraries, could apply his formidable mind to the hours of play.

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