Over The Top
Ironically, the ODI series had passed off without too much damage from the weather in September when the threat of rain was greater. An erratic and prolonged monsoon, however, took its toll of the T20s, reducing the first drastically and wiping out the last.
There’s not much that can mollify the weather gods except prayer, but questions will be raised as to why the last match couldn’t be played. There was no rain on Friday, the pitch and the square surrounding it was in fine condition.
If the outfield still made play impossible, it redounds to the poor maintenance of the ground or the inability of the ground staff to restore it to playing condition in time. One can’t be unduly harsh on the staff, but surely the state association should have looked into these aspects.
With so many venues vying to host matches in India, getting an international fixture necessarily makes extraordinary demands on the host association. If other associations — Bengaluru, Kolkata and Mumbai to name three — have coped with such situations, why couldn’t Hyderabad?
The setback to HCA, the BCCI, sponsors and broadcasters may be offset by demeaned the BCCI. claiming insurance, but is Hopefully, the Board will unfair on the two teams and take this up urgently and particularly disastrous for seriously with the state fans who brave great hardships association. in buying tickets and This was not the only reaching the venue. black spot in the T20 series.
In the circumstances, What happened after the Friday night’s washout was second match at Guwahati nothing short of a fiasco, an — when a rock was hurled indictment of the HCA’s at the Australian team bus lack of preparedness and narrowly missing causing