It's raining fours here. Sehwag wants his hundred. Wide and slash. Sehwag biffs another similar shot
India Blue vs India Red, Final at Chennai, Oct 04 2006 - Match Result
Umpires call the covers on. Enough is enough. Kartik rushes off with his team-mates.
It's Chennai and it must be rain. When is the last time you remember an important match not ruined by rain? Blame the scheduling I say. Great ground, poor timing
Match State: Delay - Rain
Cricinfo sources tell us that the rain is getting heavy. Chances of the game resuming are diminishing. Chennai might do it again. India v Sri Lanka last year, India v South Africa (ODI) before that, India v Aus in 2004, India v New Zealand (ODI) in 2003
It's the Chepauk curse I tell you. A pity because it's the ground where India won their first ever Test. It's also a venue that saw the second tied Test in history and several other historic games.
The Chennai sky is still leaking. Siddhartha Vaidyanathan has fled and asked me, Sriram Veera, to describe the rain. I turned to google, A search for Chepauk + rain throws up lots of wet pages.
Amidst the rain-soaked reports I find a gem. Written by Phil Long, for BBC, on how rain at chepauk helps the rickshawdrivers. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/other_international/3754818.stm. Check out.
UPDATE: 6.25pm. Good news: Rain has stopped. Bad news: Covers are still on. News, could be good or bad : There will be an inspection at 6.30 pm.
Update: 6.52pm It has started to rain again. If you are in Chennai you can opt for rain-water harvesting, others can read a piece ontthe possible entry ofthe overseas cricketers in Indian domestic by Sidharth Monga
Please check out http://content.cricinfo.com/india/content/story/261161.html. Watch this space for more updates from Chennai.
Update:7.40pm. Rain continues to play hide and seek. It has stopped now but dark clouds hover around the arena, the covers are still on, water on the outfield, and so play looks highly unlikely. BUT no official word as yet. So we have to wait.
Update: 7.45pm. The match has been called off. Weather has had the final say. The Chennai curse has brought down the curtains on the 2006 Challenger series. Goodbye and goodluck. Ta.
Umpires confer and continue to carry on
Kartik flights it a bit, the raindrops get heavier, Sehwag backs away and whacks it square
The groundsmen are ready. They know that games that get interesting in Chennai are invariably ruined by rain (recently at least). Remember the Australia Test in 2004? Yes yes, it's getting heavier
Slight drizzle has begun
Short ball again, outside off. Sehwag guides it past short third man for a single. Dhoni keeps saying 'no' but completes the run anyway
patted to mid-off
short ball, Sehwag flinches a bit but can't make contact. Through to the keeper
Dhoni nudges to cover and takes off, Satish fires in a throw but can't hit direct. Dhoni makes it easily
good line that time. VRV does this too often. Extra, extra, good ball, good ball. This one was slightly outside off, Dhoni watches it carefully into the keeper's hands
VRV over-steps yet again. First the wides, now the no-balls. Dhoni lets it go unharmed.
Tip and run single. Easily done
Off the mark with a four, glided past short third man, Kartik is bemused
I can eat my words for dinner. I'm used to it. Tastes brilliant
Chennai erupts again. Dhoni arrives
Or did i speak too soon. Kartik pitches it up and Yuvraj tries to sweep but misses. Huge appeal for lbw and upheld. Kartik finds his accuracy after all. The goggles are a hoax
Disaster. Fine leg up and Kartik slips it down leg. Yuvraj laps it around for a boundary. By the way Kartik has removed his goggles. No wonder he's lost the power of accuracy
drifting down leg, Yuvraj turns it for a brace
India Red's over-rate is an absymal 12 overs per hour. It means the dinner break will be shortened. It also means the bowlers will not get dessert
But they can have a drink now. Break time
Match State: Drinks
Rain is in the air. The groundsmen are expecting showers and ready with the covers. Is this game going to be ruined?
Good line again. Sehwag pats it straight to mid-off
Change of angle from VRV, around the wicket and raps Sehwag on the pads. Good line there
VRV pushes the fine leg back, brings the square leg in
Four more. Drifting on the pads with a short fine leg. Sehwag helps it along to the fence. Murphy's Law coming into play for Venugopal Rao. If things have to go wrong, they will
But it's going to make not a jot of a difference as Sehwag opens the face of the bat and glides it to third man fr a four. VRV now needs a long-stop right behind the keeper
VRV asking his third man to go a bit finer
full and driven to long-off
MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai | |
Toss | India Blue, elected to bat first |
Series | |
Season | 2006/07 |
Player Of The Series | |
Series result | 2006/07 NKP Salve Challenger Trophy shared |
Hours of play (local time) | 14.30 start, First Session 14.30-18.00 Interval 18.00-18.45, Second Session 18.45-22.15 |
Match days | 4 October 2006 - daynight (50-over match) |
Umpires | |
TV Umpire | |
Match Referee |