Ranji match starts 3 hours late due to pitch glitch

Ranji match starts 3 hours late due to pitch glitch

Despite super stoppers and dryers at work, play was delayed by 3 hours. The game finally started at 12:30pm post lunch

By Rutvick Mehta

BANGALORE (Nov. 29)—The fourth-round Ranji Trophy Super League tie between Karnataka and Saurashtra at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium started almost three hours late Tuesday due to a damp pitch.

The authorities at the Karnataka State Cricket Association said the match pitch at the stadium was watered a week ago, but there was still a lot of moisture left underneath the pitch that meant it was not fit to play on.

“Since one week there has been constant rains which have hampered our preparations,” said Mr. Shankar, KSCA manager. “We are waiting for the sun to come out. I think the match should start by lunch.”

One of the groundsmen at the stadium admitted that it was a “damp pitch,” but said that nothing much could be done about it as the weather was not ideal.

It is a bit of a surprise that this stadium, which is known for its good drainage system, was left so helpless today. The sun was shining brightly at about 10a.m, but still it took a good 2½ hours for play to get under way, even with all the ‘’super-soppers” and driers being employed.

It has not been raining heavily for the past week, and there was no rain overnight or this morning. This suggests that the reason for the pitch’s dampness had more to do with authorities not paying enough attention to the contest as it was a domestic match.

Interest in domestic cricket in India is already waning, and problems like this could serve to increase the lack of interest.
Players were chilling out in the dressing room and listening to “Kolavari di” instead of playing cricket.

As for the meager 100-odd spectators who had come to watch their favorite local boy, Robin Uthappa, in action or the “next wall of India,” Cheteshwar Pujara, making a comeback after six months, it was an agonizing wait before play finally started at 12.30p.m, with half of the playing time lost despite the sun shining brightly.

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