http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Zimbabwe-c3045: match abandoned because of wet outfield
The fourth match of the five match ODI series between Zimbabwe and Bangladesh has been called off due to a wet outfield. The match was scheduled to be played in Chittagong but the city has had continuous rains for the past couple
of days which forced the abandonment of the match.
There was a drizzle in the morning and the conditions were not good for cricket. The officials were looking for some sunshine which could help in drying the ground. After some time, the skies cleared and the sun was out. The ground
staff tried its best to make the conditions playable but they were unable to do so.
The main reason was the wet outfield, the pitch remaining dry and no issue with that. There was a little moisture in it but it would have dried with the course of the match. The drainage system in Chittagong is not very good and
the super-soppers were applied in the outfield to make things better.
The umpires after a few inspections decided that the conditions had not improved and therefore no play would be possible. The final match of the series is also scheduled to be played in Chittagong on December 12th. Both
the teams will hope that the rain stays away from the venue so that there can be a match. Chittagong will also host the World Cup matches in 2011.
The abandonment is a major disappointment for the teams. Zimbabwe will now have no chance to win the series. They can only draw the series by winning the final match.
The Bangladesh team was performing well and they would have liked to wrap up the series by winning today’s match. The biggest disappointment will be for the left-arm spinner, Abdur Razzak. The spinner has been in exceptional form
and has claimed 13 wickets in the three matches he has played until now.
Razzak is only three wickets away of breaking the world record for most wickets in a bilateral five match ODI series. Although he must be confident of reaching the landmark in the final match, he can be halted by Zimbabwe as the
visiting team will be looking to play him safely following his devastating spells in the first three matches.
Bangladesh also had an opportunity to break into the top eight ODI teams according to the ICC ODI rankings. If the team had won today’s match and the final match, they would have equaled the West Indian team in the points table.
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