Even before a single ball was bowled between India and Pakistan, the issue of intermittent rain and inadequate preparations found its loudest and arguably one of the more powerful advocates in Sunil Gavaskar. With the gauntlet thrown, it is likely that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) could respond or even perhaps become another issue the International Cricket Council (ICC) finds itself in a fix to address.
Slamming the possibility of rain interrupting the high profile match between the two Asian giants, the former Indian captain was adamant that the ECB should be hauled up and not paid the guaranteed sum of 750,000 irrespective of how the weather conditions may have affected the running of the game. With the Indo-Pakistan match expected to generate income equivalent to the interest generated for the business end of the tournament, there is a reason why there is a contingent of cricket fans who feel let down, shortchanged and worse still, used to promote tournament.
Gavaskar’s frustration mirrors the angst of millions of cricket fans who have not only spent good money on tickets but also, have spent a hefty cable bill to get the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 into their homes. With England itself blacking out the premier cricket tournament in many parts of its own country due to the steep cost of cable television, it would appear that already there has not been enough done to generate or sustain interest even in the local areas.
Now there are concerns being raised that the pitches were not adequately covered ahead of the match. According to Gavaskar, terms have often been dictated to India but there was a chasm between practicing and preaching. He has claimed that preparations to protect the pitch overnight were not enough and in the event of rain, these factors could further aggravate the situation.
India were one of the teams that had to share a point with New Zealand because even when the rain relented in their last ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 encounter, the outfield was deemed unplayable and therefore, dangerous. With as many as three total washouts that made the second week of the premier ICC event a damp affair, there is already frustration over the scheduling of the World Cup and the weather has made only matters worse as far as making adequate preparations go to ensure that the game, when it does get underway, moves forward.
As far as the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is concerned, they have little excuse, exposed as they are to inclement weather and would have plans in place to ensure that the game can resume at the earliest when the rain does relent. If the aspersions cast are true, with measures and systems in place, they should have taken adequate care and implemented procedures to cover the pitches more than efficiently and should have ensured that the outfield and bowler’s run up are looked after as well as the pitch.
Given that it is Gavaskar who is lending his voice, the petition is likely to hold more merit though it seems that the ICC’s hands might be tied when acting against the ECB or any of its affiliates responsible for the grounds around the country simply because of the tug of war that the ICC finds itself in between the skirmishes between powerful cricket boards.