Galle. July 19: The grey and black covers spread generously over the lush outfield took centre-stage as incessant rain and a wet outfield forced abandonment of the second day’s play of the first Test here on Monday.
Full credit to the hardworking groundsmen who toiled the entire day get the ground ready but foul weather was the winner. Sri Lanka remained on their overnight 256/2 at stumps on Day Two with Tharanga Paranavitana (110) and Mahela Jayawardene (8) holding fort.
Umpires Daryl Harper and Rod Tucker were unable to carry out the two scheduled inspections at 11am and another at 2.30pm. A brief appearance by the sun raised hopes of at least a late start but that was quelled quickly by another bout of rain.
This is the only the second time an entire day’s play has been washed out at Galle international Stadium. The first time was in September 1999 (4th day) in the match between Sri Lanka and Australia.
Many matches have been interrupted by rain, but quick-draining outfields and the massive manpower employed to cover the entire outfield has usually saved from an entire day being lost to rain. But it was beyond groundsman Jayananada Warnaweera and his dedicated staff.
The spectators who had turned out in fair numbers, anticipating to catch Muttiah Muralitharan in action at some stage during the day went home disappointed. The last time India played here was in 2008, there were rain interventions then, yet Indians completed a win inside four days.
Heavy rains ensured the team bus did not leave the hotel till noon. The hosts arrived at around noon while the visitors came in only at 2.40pm. Coach Gary Kirsten and bowling coach Eric Simons ventured out to inspect the outfield, but the players stayed inside the dressing room.
Middle order batsman Yuvraj Singh practised at the indoor nets along with Kirsten.
With more rains predicted for the next two days, the Test might take the course of the first Test of the 1993 series where four of the five days were washed out at the Asgiriya Stadium in Kandy. India recorded their only series win 1-0 then.
This was the 11th day where a single ball was not bowled in a entire day in a India-Sri Lanka Test.
Play on the last three days will commence at 9.30am.
India-Sri Lanka washouts
Date Venue Day
Dec 18, 1986 Kanpur 2nd
July 17, 1993 Kandy 1st
July 19, 1993 Kandy 3rd
July 21, 1993 Kandy 4th
July 22, 1993 Kandy 5th
Nov 29, 1997 Nagpur 4th
Nov 30, 1997 Nagpur 5th
Dec 2, 2005 Chennai 1st
Dec 3, 2005 Chennai 2nd
Dec 4, 2005 Chennai 3rd
July 19, 2010 Galle 2nd