With rain continuing to play spoilsport in the fourth Test between hosts West Indies and India at the Port of Spain, Virat Kohli’s side are on the verge of losing the No 1 Test ranking to Pakistan they earned recently after Sri Lanka whitewashed Australia 3-0 at home.
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India’s players celebrates the dismissal of New Zealan’s Peter Fulton during day one of the second global test cricket match at the Basin Reserve in Wellington, February 14, 2014.
Unlike the third Test at St Lucia last week, which India won by a huge 237 run margin on August 13, Windies skipper Jason Holder opted to bat first on winning the toss on Thursday.
Rain falls on Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, Saturday, Aug. 20, 2016.
While heavy rains and thunderstorms stopped play from post-lunch session on first day (Thursday), soft infield and muddy outfield made the slippery ground unfit to resume the match even after the scheduled tea-time.
Around 10.30 am here, umpires Nigel Llong and Rod Tucker, with a battalion of cameraman in tow, trudged forward to inspect a slushy patch near the midwicket fence.
The visitors need to win this match in order to retain their world number one position in the ICC Test rankings, but that now looks a remote possibility with Pakistan poised to take over the top spot.
India lead 2-0 and have already wrapped up the series. Further, it was told that if India will be failing to do so Pakistan will be the Number 1 Test Team.
With no let-up in the rain, the umpires called of the game for the day.
Match officials called off day three of the fourth cricket Test match between India and West Indies. “Not having a Super Sopper is unacceptable”, said Viv Richards, disappointed with the facilities at the ground.
Drainage has been poor since the ground had received ample rainfall in the week leading to the Test, owing to the monsoon season here.
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In 2009, the scheduled second Test of the series, also against England, lasted less than two overs at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua due to a sandy outfield that made the free movement of fielders and especially the bowlers nearly impossible.
