Kiwis get wet-Cricket

New Zealand will start their campaign against the Tigers without any match practice as their lone limited-over warm-up game against BCB XI was called off at the Fatullah Cricket Stadium yesterday. A spell of rain in the morning ensured that there was not a ball bowled in the game as there was no play possible due to a terrible outfield in the stadium on the outskirts of the city.

Braving the rain, the huge number of spectators who had turned out to watch the match returned home in utter frustration even as the sun came out in force later in the day.The series will now kick off with the first one-dayer of the three-match series on Thursday at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur while the second one-day and the second Test match of the two-match series will also be held at the same venue. The third and final one-day international and first Test will take place at the Chittagong Divisional Stadium.

The visitors, who came here four days earlier than their original schedule, were desperate to get some match practice against the local selection but the home management was not ready to take a risk in such a sloppy ground. "They (New Zealand) expressed their desire to play a lighthearted match in the dry side of the stadium but we didn't find any reason to play the game. The outfield was really bad and it was risky to play in this kind of ground," said Rajin Saleh, captain of the BCB XI side.

The local players left the stadium within a very short time after the umpires called off the game but Daniel Vettori's side remained undaunted about the shoddy conditions as they not only enjoyed a game of football in the rain but also carried out a full-fledged practice session including playing a match at the central wicket by splitting their side into two groups. Despite the brilliant sunshine in the remaining hours of the day it was impossible for the ground staffs to prepare the ground even for a Twenty20 match. Due to persistent rain, the authorities shifted the match to Fatullah from BKSP as the sports institute ground was waterlogged but everyone was at a loss to explain why the authorities made the change.

It was hard to believe the way this Test venue is maintained. "Actually we were only informed about the match three days back and you know there had been consistent rain for the last few days. We are actually taking preparation to hold the National Cricket League," defended BCB curator Shafiul Alam Belal. "It is really frustrating the match was called off because of only half and hour rain. The drainage system in this stadium is really poor.

I believe the new board will take care of this matter," said frustrated Gazi Ashraf Hossain, chairman of the BCB's cricket operations committee.