Blogs Calypso is focus of the game this week
February 20th, 2009 by calypsoThe second test match between the West Indies and England started off under one of the most embarrassing circumstances for the WICB. How else can you describe a test match being put-off because of an unfit and under-prepared outfield? One had to see the images that were circulated on the net and shown on TV, I am not talking about the pitch’s repair that was being carried out but the people tending to the outfield. At some places the feet would almost sink in by two inches! Then the test match was shifted to another nearby venue — again, something we don’t see very often. England were trying to compensate for being humiliated by a very young West Indies team in their loss during the first test match — again, we don’t often hear about the West Indies being on the winning sides against good test sides.
When the match eventually got underway, Strauss — the England captain finally found form and the ECB must have had a sigh of relief. Their huge total in the first innings ensured that the Caribbeans could never win the match and it was going to be either a defeat for them or a draw. It was only Sarwan who came to the party in both the innings for them and yes, Chanderpaul was yet again, pretty impressive. The match had just started to go in a customary manner when the Stanford scam news hit the channels. It was reported that some of the national cricketers of the island nations of Caribbean too could be questioned.
As the last day approached, the West Indies were trying to salvage a draw and did that end in an anticipated manner? Obviously, not and the match was dragged to the last over and the last batting pair of the Indies somehow managed to scrape through without being dismissed by batting out more than ten overs! It just seems like this test match was destined to have something extraordinary or controversial going for it throughout the five days. Vivian Richards after whom the original venue for the second test match was named has expressed his utter disgust at the state-of-affairs in the national stadiums here.
February 25th, 2009 at 6:00 am
I remember going to the Viv Richards stadium for one of the World Cup matches and it was the same wet outfield story then as well. And, the rain had happened the previous day (not even the previous night.) They were using huge sponges to remove the water from the field, it was pretty astonishing to see that, and this was a World Cup super-8s match! The match was eventually reduced to a 35 over match I think.