Damp pitch causes two-hour delay

The Bangladesh Cricket League match between East Zone and North Zone was stopped for two and half hours after the first over of the morning due to a damp pitch. The decision was taken keeping in mind the safety of players, some of whom will feature in the series against Sri Lanka.

Tamim Iqbal faced six deliveries of varying bounce from Farhad Reza, the North Zone pace bowler. The umpires consulted the two captains - Tamim and Mushfiqur Rahim - and decided that the wicket needed further drying. A sunny day possibly saved the situation as it didn't take too long for the wicket to dry up, after which the umpires deemed it acceptable to start play.

There was definite moisture on the surface due to the time of the year, and added water in an effort to make it more sporting. But it is not clear why the umpires let the game start at 9.30am in the first place. The incident came a couple of days after the BCB ordered the curators at the two BKSP grounds hosting the first-class tournament to make the wickets more balanced after a string of centuries in the first round.

Play restarted at 12:10pm, after which the wicket played much better as East Zone moved to 261 for 8 in 81 overs.