Not a ball bowled on second day
John Ward - 29 May 2001
Unexpected and unseasonal overnight rain on an inadequately covered
pitch, together with a brief drizzle at lunchtime and a very light
Scotch mist at times during the day, caused the second day's play in
the match between the touring Indians and Zimbabwe A at the Mutare
Sports Club to be abandoned without a ball bowled.
The day's play was a victim to Mutare's unreliable weather, but it was
also disappointing to see the sort of attitude that brings cricket
into disrepute. This was the first match to be played at Mutare
against a full international team. There were hundreds of
schoolchildren present. But with the outfield and pitch a little damp
- the qualities of the latter untested - the players were unwilling to
give it a try and the umpires were not prepared to make them.
With a little more willingness on their part there could have been
perhaps half a day's play, although not in ideal conditions. But as
seems to be usual, professional players are not prepared to make the
best of a bad job. This is the sort of situation that does the
reputation of the game no credit whatsoever. Javagal Srinath, however,
did his best for the game by joining in an impromptu game with a group
of children in the outfield.
At stumps on the opening day on Monday, Zimbabwe A were 33 for one in
reply to the Indians' first innings total of 336 for nine declared.
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