Damp conditions threaten second ODI

[zubinpepsi]

Link Kochi: Wet conditions, sloppy outfield and damp ground are the enemies that the Kochi groundsmen are fighting hard against here at the Nehru Stadium to make the ground suitable for the second One-Dayer between India and Australia, which is scheduled to take place on Tuesday. There have been torrential rains in Kochi for about three weeks before it gave some respite just about 5 to 6 days ago, but the occasional showers are still continuing and that has definitely not helping the cause of the groundstaff. However, there have not been much rains since this morning but according to the curator P V Ramachandran here , the ground is already saturated with water and any more rains would make the chances of the match being played even more bleak. "Although the groundsmen are giving 200 per cent after the conditions have improved over the last 6 days, but on and off showers are making things difficult. The covers were on till yesterday night as there were heavy rains," said Ramachandran, speaking to Cricketnext on Sunday. There are two super-soppers in full force and eight thick covers to cover the entire 30 yard circle, besides two hand super-soppers that had arrived from Chennai only on Sunday morning. "We have managed to put up a great work and we are fully equipped. We can easily handle light showers. But unless the sun is out, the ground won't be fully dry. But there are forecast of some more rains. So, we are keeping our fingers crossed," warned the curator. The outfield and the pitch are slow. So, Ramachandran's advice for the captain winning the toss will be to definitely field first. "The pitch would be uncertain, so the captain winning the toss would like to bowl first. Even if Duckworth-Lewis comes into play the team batting second will have an advantage." However, the groundsmen can only hope that the sun god smiles on them and make their efforts worthwhile. For the cricketers and the fans, they won't want another match to be washed out, with Bangalore ODI already getting abandoned due to rains. ------------- nice..... so the rain gods r in love with indian team.. following wherever they go... :angry_smile:

[Dravid]

gwaddddddddddd :mad:

[kabira]

monsoon is still on in india...the tour could have started week late with 5 ODIs rather than 7..

[suma25]

monsoon is still on in india...the tour could have started week late with 5 ODIs rather than 7..

actually the schedule is ok. its only bcoz yeh time monsoon is pretty erratic .Monsoon season is over n still its raining at least it wasin mumbai even in september

[Hawkeye]

One forecast I read predicted rain through till tomorrow with clear spells on match day

[Guest BossBhai]

-- Removed on request of the user --

[kabira]

it wont help Bheema...the water will still go thru... only solution is having great drainage system

[Guest BossBhai]

-- Removed on request of the user --

[kabira]

lets say they covered it with covers...it rain cats and dogs.. now rain has stopped, they have to remove covers...they first have to remove water from cover isnt?? if this was the solution, rain would never have been issue

[Guest BossBhai]

-- Removed on request of the user --

[parasarora1310]

not another rain spoilt match. Please god save the match we have a point to prove to australia. Cmon India Chak de

[gs]

The scheduling of these matches is f.cked up. Monsoons hits the coast every time this year and its very unpredictable until mid October. Why cant they schedule the matches in northern parts of India like Delhi, Chandigarh etc now and then schedule matches in the coastal areas towards the latter part of the tour?!?!?

[fineleg]

Where have the India A - SA A matches been washed off? Which cities are those? I think about 50% of BCCI scheduled matches (A tours incl) do get incomplete results becos of rain!

[King]

I think it is not a bad idea to have a circular heightened full ground cover with several vents at several pockets on the cover leading to a drain. Still it won't help if it rains during the game. It's a bad start to the ODIs already with weather playing the spoilsport. I've lost in this series already. :confused_smile:

[Chandan]

Where have the India A - SA A matches been washed off? Which cities are those? I think about 50% of BCCI scheduled matches (A tours incl) do get incomplete results becos of rain!

Dharamshala (HP), Ahmadabad, Baroda (Gujarat). And this match at Kochi is almost washed out! Kochi ODI: Another wash-out on cards Monday, 01 October , 2007, 14:39 Kochi: After the washout in the first match at Bangalore, the second cricket one-dayer between India and Australia on Tuesday may suffer a similar fate with the weather gods showing no signs of relenting. It has been raining for the last few days and a heavy shower this morning forced the two teams to abandon their plans for a net practice at the ground which has been left completely soggy. With the met office predicting more rains on Tuesday, chances of any play being possible tomorrow appear to be very bleak, giving sleepless nights to the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) which is toiling hard to keep the Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium in good condition for the match. However, all their efforts may go in vain with the curator P V Ramachandran making it clear that even a couple of hours of downpour on the match day would be enough to force an abandonment. However, if rain relents, spectators can expect fireworks at the ground, which has traditionally been lucky for India. The hosts have a 4-1 win-loss record at the stadium and the only disappointment that the Indians have suffered here is the loss to minnows Zimbabwe in 2000. Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men would be hoping to make it 5-1 on Tuesday. But the task is easier said then done as they battle injuries to some key players. Sourav Ganguly is already out with a hamstring strain and spinner Harbhajan Singh is also battling a stiff neck. Robin Uthappa is also a doubtful starter because of injury. Apart from having Clarke and Haddin in form the visitors are also likely to be boosted by skipper Ricky Ponting's return to the fold after he sat out of the first match with a hamstring strain. "Two guys (Clarke and Haddin) had only been given an opportunity because of the injury troubles that we have got and that was fantastic," stand-in captain Adam Gilchrist has said in praise of the duo. "The depth was challenged and we responded really well, it was frustrating there was no result but we responded in the 50 overs we were given," the wicket-keeper batsman said asserting that his side had the mental edge going into the second match. The ODI world champions still have some issues to resolve going into the match. The opening pair of Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden has been struggling for some time now, putting pressure on the middle-order. Although it responded well to the added burden in Bangalore, but if Gilchrist and Hayden do not click in the coming matches, it may spell trouble for the Aussies. The Australian bowlers did not get much of an opportunity in the first match which was abandoned after just 2.4 overs of the Indian innings. The war of words, meanwhile, continues and both the teams are promising to make up for the damp squib in Bangalore with some fireworks. The home side also has some serious thinking to do on their bowling attack, which let the Aussies off the hook after having them in trouble in the initial stage of the opener. The visitors were choking at 90 for four before Michael Clarke (130) turned the match in Australia's favour with his maiden ODI hundred against India. The Indian bowlers, especially the spinners, were totally ineffective in the last 15 overs, and Clarke and Brad Haddin (69) dispatched them all over the park with some sublime hits. Ramesh Powar was ordinary in his last few overs though he started off quite well. The pacers, though brilliant in their opening spells, came in for some spanking later on as the Australians scored more than 150 runs in the last 15 overs to take the team score to a massive 307. S Sreesanth sprayed the ball all over the wicket and, in fact, bowled an extra over with his wides. Although he scalped three wickets but the flamboyant pacer will have to show some control to be more effective. "We have a problem, just a bit of a problem, when the ball doesn't do too much. The white Kookaburra (ball) doesn't do anything after 15-odd overs and we need to work hard on that," skipper Dhoni admitted. On the batting front, a lot was expected of Sachin Tendulkar after his fine performance during the England tour but the Mumbai batsman was a disappointment, scoring a naught before the rain poured in. The Aussies, on the other hand, seem to be back in their groove after the Twenty20 World Cup debacle. -------------------------------------------------------- So India is not only struggling with weather but also with injuries?!! :angry_smile:

[beetle]

match bhool jao...kuch nahi hone waala....

[Prudent]

Bad News: It's raining in Kochi!!! October 01, 2007 11:28 IST Heavy spells of rain in this port city of Kerala have cast a doubt over Tuesday's one dayer, the second in the series, between India and Australia. It rained intermittently on Sunday. This morning, the groundsman infomed us that while efforts are on to dry up the pitch and the outfield, another spell or two of rain could put the match in jeopardy. http://www.rediff.com/cricket/2007/oct/01kochi.htm

[apocalypse]

so basically a 5 match series?

[Cricketics]

kya yaar damn it..freakin helll..

[Prudent]

Tomorrow's Forecast: http://uk.weather.com/weather/detail/INXX0032?dayNum=1 @Mods, I didn't notice the similar thread being opened for this, please merge Thanks