AFG vs NZ, Greater Noida weather forecast: Play on Day 3 unrealistic with rain likely to play spoilsport

New Delhi: After no play was possible on the first two days of the Afghanistan vs New Zealand one-off Test match due to poor playing conditions caused because of persistent rain, there isn’t much going to change on Day 3 (September 11) as well. Although the sun came out on Tuesday, (Day 2), it was impossible for the groundstaff to make the outfield playable. To make matters worse, heavy rains on Tuesday evening added more misery to both teams and the authorities.

According to Accuweather, rain is expected on Wednesday as well, thus making the chances of play slim. With a poor drainage system, the match is more likely to be called off. The weather forecast at the Greater Noida sports complex there is a 40 per cent chances of precipitation, with the temperature hovering around 32 degrees. Thunderstorms are also likely to hit the area in spots.

Earlier, using traditional tarpaulin to protect outfield, electric fans to dry wet patches, loaning ground cover from one state unit and super sopper from the other while deploying untrained ground staff, the Greater Noida Authority encountered colossal failure in not being able to get second day’s play underway. For the second successive day, not a single ball could be bowled at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports complex here putting the venue under scanner and making it an international embarrassment.

The game, the first between the two nations, was scheduled to begin on Monday but no play was possible as the umpires cited ‘players safety’ as a concern. While there was no rain throughout the day, there was a downpour for about an hour on Monday evening, affecting the start of play on Tuesday, which was scheduled to commence half an hour earlier than the original start time of 10 am.

While the skies remained clear on Tuesday, the field couldn’t even be readied for a curtailed day’s play despite best efforts. The mid-on and midwicket areas remained a cause of concern as the groundsmen were bringing in dry sections of grass from the practice area to ‘transplant’ it to the mid wicket area.

Additionally, three table fans were used to dry patches of grass on the offside as the groundsmen continued to work all day. Officials from the Greater Noida Authority, under which the stadium falls, were also in attendance, supervising the work.
Umpires conducted three inspections before calling off play on the second day.

With PTI Inputs