Sri Lanka vs India, 1st ODI at Colombo, Aug 18 2006 - Match Result

11:33 local time - Sadly enough the umpires have decided to abandon the match. The outfield is in a pretty bad shape and they concluded that it was not possible to start the game by 15:00 local time, which was the cut off time for the 40 overs required for a result. The second match of the series will be played tomorrow at the same venue, WEATHER PERMITTING. That's it from me Sajan Nair, good bye and good luck.

10:45 local time - The last shower lasted for about forty minutes and the shower hit the ground when the groundstaff had just about finished removing the covers, when it was most vulnerable. That has more or less ended any hope of getting in even the 40 overs required for a result. However the sun is back and there is still a ray of hope. Next inspection will be held at 13:45 local time.

10:19 local time - The return of the tormentor... In just a matter of 10 minutes the conditions turned upside down, from bright and sunny to dark and cloudy in a blink of an eye. It's pelting down at the moment and it's looking all too familiar... As they say - The best thing one can do when it's raining is to let it rain.

10:00 local time - Yesterday's torrential shower which instigated the abandoning of play did last for quite a long time and today morning the ground was hit by few passing showers. Surprisingly the outfield is in a pretty good shape and the groundstaff are confident that the ground will be fit for play in an hour, provided there is no further downpour. There is always that threat...

At the moment the Sinhalese Sports Club is bathed in sunshine but things can change very quickly in these parts of the world when it comes to the weather. The forecast is for rains in the afternoon. Any delay today will affect the number of overs to be bowled in the day. Already we are looking at a shortened game and further delays will be catastrophic.

9.25 local time - Good morning. After a week of rain we finally have a reasonably good day, today looks brighter and less threatening and the news from the ground is that the umpires are looking at a 11:00 am (local time) start.

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Umpires having a chat now - should be about the light.

There you go - Light has been offered to the batsmen and off they go. It has gone quite dark here in the last ten minute or so. It's not raining at the moment but the groundstaffs have moved in with the covers.

The Sinhalese Sports Club has a better drainage system but ironically there are no floodlights and we are at the mercy of the weather Gods. Dravid and Tendulkar have made their way back to the pavilion but the Sri Lankan players are still hanging around...

(15:00 local time) - And the heavens open up - not heavy at the moment but just enough for the umpires to call in the pitch covers - we are back to square one.

15:12 local time - It started as a light drizzle but now it's pelting down and with the chances of play resuming any time soon looking bleak the umpires have decided to call it a day. So just 3.4 overs bowled in the day, probably they were having a drinks break upstairs. Remember this is a two-day ODI and weather permitting the game will be continued tomorrow. The forecast is not that promising and all we can do is wait and watch.

3.4

•

Malinga to Dravid, no run

Another pacey delivery, bowled at 142 kmp. Right in the channel outside the off stump and Dravid is beaten for pace.

3.3

•

Malinga to Dravid, no run

bit wide outside the off stump, shaping away - Malinga gets away with it

3.2

Malinga to Tendulkar, 1 run

drifting onto the pads, wrong line - Tendulkar shuffles across a bit and nudges it down to fine leg for an easy single

3.1

•

Malinga to Tendulkar, no run

good length delivery, in the channel outside the off stump and shaping away a touch, Tendulkar waits for the ball to swing and neatly strokes it away towards cover

Over3

4 runs

IND 10/0CRR: 3.33

R Dravid 9 (17b 2x4)SR Tendulkar 1 (1b)

WPUJC Vaas0/4 (2)

2.6

Vaas to Dravid, FOUR runs

shot! slightly short and angling across the right-hander, the angle creates the width, Dravid stands tall on the back-foot and drills it through the gap between cover and point

2.5

•

Vaas to Dravid, no run

punched down to mid-off

2.4

•

Vaas to Dravid, no run

another tight delivery from Vaas, on the middle and off stump line and swinging back in, Dravid says back and strokes it away towards cover point

2.3

•

Vaas to Dravid, no run

full and drifting onto the pads, Dravid leaves well forward and tucks it away towards square leg, diving stop by Dilshan there saves runs

2.2

•

Vaas to Dravid, no run

played away towards cover point

2.1

•

Vaas to Dravid, no run

on the middle and leg stump line, defended watchfully

And the dark clouds are back - the ground staffs are getting ready with the cover.

Over2

6 runs

IND 6/0CRR: 3.00

R Dravid 5 (11b 1x4)SR Tendulkar 1 (1b)

SL Malinga0/6 (1)

1.6

Malinga to Dravid, 1 run

steered down to third man for an easy single

1.5

•

Malinga to Dravid, no run

short of a good length delivery, bit wide outside the off stump, defended on the back-foot and the ball rolls away towards cover

1.4

Malinga to Dravid, FOUR runs

good length and drifting down the leg side, Dravid quickly lines it up, gets well inside the delivery and clips it away past the diving keeper to the fine leg fence for the first boundary of the day.

1.3

•

Malinga to Dravid, no run

slightly short, pitched close to the off stump line and slanting away, Dravid had to play at it and the ball zips past the outside edge

1.2

•

Malinga to Dravid, no run

pacey delivery, again full and close to the off stump line, Dravid on the back-foot defending

1.1

Malinga to Tendulkar, 1 run

full and on the stump, Tendulkar had to hurry, ball clips the outer half of the bat and rolls away well wide of the fielder at cover, off the mark first ball

Over1

Maiden

IND 0/0CRR: 0.00

R Dravid 0 (6b)SR Tendulkar 0 (0b)

WPUJC Vaas0/0 (1)

Malinga to share the new ball with Vaas.

0.6

•

Vaas to Dravid, no run

short of a good length delivery on the middle and leg stump line, Vaas stands tall on the back-foot and defends it away towards mid-on - Vaas starts off with a maiden.

0.5

•

Vaas to Dravid, no run

another ripper. The one that comes back in sharply, Dravid is once again beaten by the late swing and pace, another loud appeal for lbw turned down - probably missing leg on this occasion

0.4

•

Vaas to Dravid, no run

left alone outside the off stump

0.3

•

Vaas to Dravid, no run

line and length delivery, defended on the back-foot

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