Julian Hunte (second right), president of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), Donald Peters (right), CEO of the WICB, Andy Roberts (left), ground consultant and head groundsman Tony Merrick, confer on the outfield after play was abandonded on the first day of the second Digicel cricket Test match between England and the West Indies at the Sir Vivian Richards stadium in St. John's, Antigua, yesterday. - AP
ST JOHN'S, Antigua (AP):The second Test between West Indies and England was abandoned after just 10 balls were bowled yesterday due to a dangerous outfield, embarrassing Caribbean cricket and forcing the game to be rescheduled for tomorrow.
Some 8,000 England fans saw just 1.4 overs at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium before play was halted with the tourists at 7-0. A new Test will start at the Antigua Recreation Ground - extending the series to five Tests.
"I am not surprised about the conditions because when we were doing some fielding drills it wasn't suitable at all," said West Indies captain, Chris Gayle.
can't stand the sand
The curtailed Test will stand in the record books. The final two Tests take place at Kensington Oval, Barbados and Queen's Park Oval, Trinidad.
West Indies bowlers complained yesterday that they could not keep their footing on the outfield, which is made up of a thick layer of sand in parts.
"The bowlers were struggling to get any sort of grip at all and were going through the sand," match referee Allan Hurst said. "Obviously it was dangerous so that decision had to be made then."
"The umpires spoke to both captains and said that the ground was not fit for test cricket,"England captain Andrew Strauss said. "If a bowler can't bowl at full speed then a ground is not fit."
The surface at the two-year-old ground was relaid in October to correct drainage issues and the grass has not grown back sufficiently since, which led to huge volumes of sand being spread on to the outfield.
"I don't think there was any doubt there was a problem before we came here with the sand on the ground but everyone thought it was OK," said match referee Alan Hurst, a former Australian fast bowler.
lessons must be learned
The debacle rekindled memories of England's first Test against the West Indies in January, 1998, which was abandoned after less than an hour's play - becoming the first Test in history to be called off because of the state of the pitch.
"It's not right that Test cricket matches can be abandoned and lessons must be learned," Strauss said.
But, there were reservations about the Antigua Recreation Ground where both teams practiced over the past three days and the third Test will begin tomorrow.