Port of Spain, August 23: The Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) have launched an investigation after the fourth and final Test between West Indies and India lasted just 22 overs due to a waterlogged and messed up outfield.
No play was possible at Queen’s Park Oval on Monday’s (August 22) scheduled last day of the match, the fourth consecutive day on which not a ball was bowled because of poor underfoot conditions around the playing square. The farcical abandonment came despite long periods of sunshine and desperate efforts with shovels, pitchforks and leaf blowers by the groundstaff to make the surface playable.
With the match declared a draw, India won the series 2-0, the first time they have won more than one Test in a series in the Caribbean.However, India surrendered the position of the No. 1 Test team in the International Cricket Council rankings to Pakistan, as they needed to complete a 3-0 series triumph to stay on top. India were No. 1 for less than a week after displacing Australia at the top on August 17.
“As hosts, the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board and QPCC (Queen’s Park Cricket Club) regret that limited play was possible in the 4th Test Match between WI and India at the Queen’s Park Oval,” said Azim Bassarath, the TTCB president, in a statement on Tuesday (August 23).
“We have jointly launched an investigation to determine what occurred with a view to remedying the situation so that this does not occur in the future. Once this has been done, it will be presented to the WICB (West Indies Cricket Board).”
Bassarath gave no indication of the time frame for the completion of the investigation.
It has been understood that prominent officials of QPCC, who celebrated the 125th anniversary of the club’s foundation over the Test match weekend, were concerned that the abandonment could jeopardise the historic venue’s chances hosting major international matches in the future.
The shambolic finale would be of major concern to the WICB, given that the agreement of the Indians to play four Tests in the islands was seen as a major diplomatic triumph after the abandonment of a tour of India by West Indies in October 2014 because of a pay dispute between the players and the WICB. India subsequently dropped their multi-million dollar compensation claim against the WICB.
India won the four Test series 2-0. But lack of action forced India to relinquish top spot in the International Cricket Council (ICC) rankings to Pakistan, less than a week after taking over the position from Australia.
Rain stopped play on the first day of the match when the West Indies were 62 for two. No further play could be held over the next four days.
West Indies and India are now going to play two Twenty20 Internationals in Lauderhill, Florida, on August 27 and 28.
