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Who is to blame for rain pain?

By Harish Kotian in Chittagong
May 21, 2007 14:44 IST
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Only 97 overs were bowled on the first three days of the first Test between India and Bangladesh because of persistent rain in Chittagong. Wet conditions also washed out the third one-day international between the teams earlier. With more rain predicted in the port city this week, there is likelihood that the fifth day's play in the ongoing Test may also be washed out.

Is it a question of wrong scheduling of the matches? Or were the two Boards caught off-guard by the rain?
Former Bangladesh captain Akram Khan, who hails from Chittagong, says it was strange to schedule cricket matches in the city in May, when the monsoon actually begins.

"You will find rainfall in May in Chittagong. It is the rainy season here, so it no surprise to see the match being affected by the weather," he told rediff.com.

Bangladesh wicketkeeper Khaled Mashud also concurred with him, but said proper drainage facilities at the Chittagong ground could have helped matters.

"There are no drainage facilities here, like we have in Dhaka. There, even if it rains, we have play after an hour or so, because it dries up quickly," he added.

A Bangladesh Cricket Board official, however, defended the staging of the matches in Chittagong, saying he was surprised by the amount of rainfall the city has had over the last few days.

"It does rain at this time of the year, but not this much," he said.

Locals too are not surprised by the rain disruptions; in fact, they say rain at this time of the year is quite normal.

The BCB is hoping that the second Test, to be staged in Dhaka from May 25, will also not be hit by the weather after it rained in the city on Sunday.

A former Bangladesh player who did not want to be named blamed the Board of Control for Cricket in India for agreeing to the schedule. He said Bangladesh was forced to squeeze in the series.

"With a busy schedule coming up, it was evident that this was the only free time available for the Indian team," he said.

Quite right!

The BCCI, which is looking to fill its coffers at every opportunity, didn't feel the need to consider the elements before saying yes.

"Once cricket was a winter sport, but now they play it around the year; no wonder you see such things," said a veteran cricket journalist, summing it all up.

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Harish Kotian in Chittagong

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