Sand stops play

Bulletin - Match abandoned after ten deliveries News - Third Test moved to Antigua Recreation Ground Quotes - Captains raised concerns before Test Andrew Miller - Antigua's lost legacy Martin Williamson - Insider: 'The game should never have been allowed to start' Stats - Shortest Tests by balls bowled

3.20pm The fans at the ground, who were not informed of the cancellation until 40 minutes after the game, have hopefully not thrown their tickets away in disgust. If they have retained their stubs, they will get into the ground for free. Fish them out of the bin (or eBay) quick ...

3.15pm Hunte insisted at the press conference that he does not feel this is a resignation issue, although questions must also be asked of the ICC, who did not inspect the ground in the build-up to this match, and instead arrived en masse on the eve of the game.

Here is what Hurst had to say. "In the short term it was not going to be possible to bring this ground up to a condition that would be fit for play. We may have been able to improve it, but there wouldn’t have been a guarantee that no further occurrence would happen. We’ve investigated going to a new venue, the Recreation Ground, there is a suitable wicket and it will be worked on over the next 24 hours so the decision was made to transfer the match."

"This match will now be abandoned, it will stand as a Test match, the game starting on Sunday will be a brand new Test and will the third Test [of a five-Test series]"

3.10pm Andrew McGlashan has emerged from the press conference with lots of caveats to the decision. Perhaps most significantly, there will be no referrals in the match, because according to Alan Hurst, there will be limited camera angles available. Lorgat, who is clearly less than pleased with the WICB (for whom Donald Peters and Julian Hunte were present) adds that the Sir Viv Stadium's future is now under serious threat. As if we hadn't ascertained that already ...

3.04pm It's official - the Test match will start again at the Antigua Recreation Ground on Sunday. A press conference has just taken place, involving Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive, and Alan Hurst, the match referee. A brave decision, bearing in mind the vast logistical problems that everyone involved will face. But in the circumstances, what choice did they have? Stayed tuned for more updates. This one still has a distance to run ...

Andrew McGlashan is still at the ground and tells us that Sky are packing up their equipment and rigging and miles of cables. It's all over, red rover. No word on where their trucks are heading just yet.

Nasser Hussain quips that the England and West Indies might be at the ARG on Sunday, but there's a strong chance there may not be a game. It's not a lot of time in which to prepare a ground which hasn't hosted a Test since 2006...

The ARG hasn't quite fallen into disuse - it's used for training purposes, and that's where England prepared for this Test. All 10 balls of it. Have a read of Andrew Miller's tour diary for the 2007 World Cup where he visited the abandoned home of Antiguan cricket.

2.15pm Breaking news: the second Test will take place on Sunday at the Antigua Recreation Ground and it will be restarted, according to Sky Sports. Well, well, well.

1.55pm Debate continues as to where the Test might be played. Jamaica is being mooted, as is the ARG, but there's also a strong possibility that St Kitts could be a suitable venue. It's less than half-an-hour on a little plane, or a short hour's boat-ride away (see map), and could be ideal for the swathes of English tourists who are currently milling around wondering where they'll go.

1.30pm The ICC are currently at the Antigua Recreation Ground (ARG) where, at 2pm, they will conduct a full meeting to assess its suitability. They are holding a press conference one hour later at 3pm.

"The game of cricket doesn’t need this," said Andrew Strauss. The England players came down and spent quite a while with the supporters, signing autographs and chatting. And, in some cases, keeping the spectators informed of what was happening. Not ideal.

1pm Hugh Morris, managing director of England cricket, handed a letter to Alan Hurst last night. "We did have concerns about it and I wrote a letter to that effect last night and handed to Alan Hurst. Pointing out that we had serious concerns about the outfield, especially the run-ups."

"This is like the long-jump pit at the school athletic day," spits Bob Willis who is currently and emphatically in his element. It's worth adding that for the poor, touring England supporters, it's unlikely they'll be able to get the Test ready before Monday or Tuesday if they relocate to the old Recreation Ground. And Tuesday, of course, is when this Test should have ended...

"The Stanford ground isn't an option because the pitch hasn't been tendered since November," Andrew notes.

The West Indies' physio emailed the board's CEO, Donald Peters, yesterday with his concerns about the outfield according to Andrew. And we've heard England's physio was similarly unimpressed too. Alastair Cook, speaking to Sky, was disappointed yet unsurprised.

"They have dug a trench at the North End and it's like a sandpit underneath," comments Andrew McGlashan. "They are going to try and re-lay the bowlers' run-ups; the match referee is currently at the ARG (Antigua Recreation Ground) inspecting those facilities."

12.45pm The press conference has taken place, Chris Gayle in attendance among others. We'll have news from our man in Antigua shortly.

The consensus at the moment is that England are dead-keen to get back into this series, but it seems implausible that it'll happen at this ground. The most logical solution would be to play at the old Recreation Ground, but they will need at least two or three days to prepare the pitch (let alone the outfield).

The second over 10.40am Slow hand-clapping now, as this delay extends into its fifth minute. Strauss and Gayle are in deep discussion, just as Atherton and Lara were in 1997-98, and now the match referee, Alan Hurst, is on his way to the middle to join the deliberations.

Yet another aborted run-up, and Edwards flings the ball away in disgust. This is becoming a very serious issue indeed ... Edwards and Gayle are now in discussion with the umpires.

Shades of Sabina Park 1997-98 are in the air here. That was dangerous to batsmen, this is just hopeless for bowlers. There's nothing that Edwards can do about it. He is an elite athlete, who expects, at the very least, to be able to sprint to the crease without fearing that the ground beneath his ankle is going to give way beneath him

1.4 Edwards to Strauss, no run, pinged down, well wide of off stump. This is unsatisfactory, to be frank. There's nothing Edwards can do about it, but bundle to the crease and hope for the best

Another aborted run-up. Edwards grimaces as he gives up three yards short of the crease. He just can't get any balance

1.3 Edwards to Cook, 1 run, tucked away off the hip, and Cook is underway Another aborted attempt at a run-up. Edwards finds his boots are sinking into the quicksand, and he pulls up short of the crease

Rain stops play Oh dear, that's unfortunate. The shower is sweeping in, and we have a delay. Hopefully it is only a brief interlude. Gnasher, our man on the ground, claims he can see a kid building a sand-castle at fine leg. That's not a kid, it's Ian Bell, who's suddenly got a lot of time on his hands on this trip

1.2 Edwards to Strauss, 1 run, full and outside off stump, and worked into the leg side Unfortunately, the groundstaff are hovering ... rain in the air

1.1 Edwards to Strauss, no run, good ball but poor shot. Full and just outside off stump. Strauss picks the wrong line, and the ball seems to pass the inside edge. That could have been a calamitous play-on

0.1 Taylor to Strauss, 2 runs, swinging onto the pads and tucked safely off the hip. Taylor is already having problems with the run-ups. One aborted attempt, and then that delivery was bowled from in line with the stumps!

0.2 Taylor to Strauss, no run, full length, outside off stump this time, and met with a full face of the blade

Taylor is kicking up sand with every step to the crease. This is not good at all

0.3 Taylor to Strauss, 2 runs, a firm push down the ground, no give in the outfield for the runs either. This really is beach cricket

Which, on balance, possibly gives West Indies the advantage ... Round the wicket for Taylor, but Strauss pulls out of his stance, which won't improve his early mood

0.4 Taylor to Strauss, no run, decent length, pushing Strauss back into the crease, and fended to gully

0.5 Taylor to Strauss, 1 run, overpitched outside off stump, and that's a handsome checked drive into the covers. Nash opts not to slide to field, which is very wise of him

0.6 Taylor to Cook, no run, down the leg side and half an appeal as Ramdin gathers, but umpire Harper gives that not out

Interesting that Harper is the man in the middle alongside Hill for this Test. The senior umpire, Rudi Koertzen, is on third umpire duty, presumably to prevent more referral farces ... we shall see. Here's Fidel Edwards