With traditional tarpaulins to protect the pitch, electric fans to dry out wet areas, the loan of a state-run tarpaulin unit for the pitch and an artificial turf unit for the pitch, and the deployment of untrained ground staff, the Greater Noida Authority met with a colossal failure as it failed to get the second day of play underway in the Test match between Afghanistan and New Zealand. For the second consecutive day, not a single ball could be bowled at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex in Greater Noida, putting the venue under the spotlight and making it an international embarrassment.
The game, the first between the two nations, was scheduled to begin on Monday but was unable to be played as referees cited “player safety” as a concern.
While it did not rain all day, there was a downpour for about an hour on Monday night, which impacted the start of the game on Tuesday, which was scheduled to begin a half-hour earlier than the original 10 a.m. start time.
Although the skies remained clear on Tuesday, the course could not even be prepared for a shortened day of play despite best efforts.
The mid-on and midwicket areas continued to be a cause for concern as the groundsmen were bringing in dry sections of grass from the practice area to “transplant” it into the mid-wicket area.
In addition, three table fans were used to dry patches of grass on the outside while the gardeners continued to work throughout the day.
Officials from the Greater Noida Authority, under which the stadium falls, were also present to supervise the works.
The referees carried out three inspections before suspending play on the second day.
According to stadium officials, there are five super blowtorches: two automatic and three manual. However, only two have been used in total, and that is only infrequently.
If sources are to be believed, the Greater Noida Authority had requested a pair of super socks from the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) and they were sent from their Meerut Stadium for logistical reasons.
Similarly, during the day, the traditional shamiyana (wedding tent) was used to cover the outer field and in the evening, when heavy rains started, tarpaulins were used as DDCA authorities rushed to shift their cover from the outer field from Kotla.
If this was not enough, the Greater Noida Authority did not have enough trained ground staff and apparently used its untrained manpower for the job. While the playing area remained pristine, the outfield was the problem on both days.
Topics mentioned in this article