Madras cricket lovers are entitled to feel that they were deprived of seeing a potential thriller by the weather. Some of them have even questioned the wisdom of the BCCI in allotting them a game at a time when the weather is likely to play spoil sport, as it eventually did.
There’s no doubt that with the series tied one-all, the Madras game would have seen both sides coming out to try and grab the psychological advantage and that would have provided a feast to the spectators.
Perhaps, it’s a blessing in disguise for the South Africans, for the heat and humidity of Madras could well have sapped their energies for the remaining matches. Sure the weather in Durban can also be stifling but it is not the same as in Madras.
The TNCA probably accepted the game because they were worried that if they refused then they would have had to wait a long time before their turn came again. Also with insurance cover, the host associations do not lose much, though the spectators may not get to see their heroes in action. The BCCI must have the flexibility to allow the associations to forgo a match only for weather reasons or if there is a law and order problem and not because the visiting team is a lower ranked team and thus not attractive enough to fill the stadium. The association should not be punished by being sent to the back of the queue if they forgo a game for weather or law and order reasons.
There was a time not too long ago, when the BCCI had only five Test centers and the timings of those Tests was also pretty much the same whenever a team toured India. So a Test at the Eden Gardens was invariably around Christmas and New Year and the Madras Test was always around Pongal holidays.
The other centers Delhi, Bombay and Kanpur had the Tests before or after the Calcutta and Madras Tests.
The hierarchy at BCCI also began to see a change with newer centers now staking a claim to be part of the BCCI administration. With the traditional powers (the Test playing centers) feeling the heat from other affiliates of the Board, the first moves of giving the non-traditional centers a Test against lesser known cricket countries began.
Still other venues wanted and got one-day internationals as they had to recover the costs of stadia built, but more importantly even if they did not own stadiums which belonged to local municipal corporations, they owned a vote that could make a difference as the struggle for power to control the BCCI intensified. With more venues than matches, the BCCI had to look to keep all associations happy and that’s how the rotation policy for centers began and that’s how Madras got the one-day game during a time when there could be rain in Tamil Nadu.
There is no danger of rains in Calcutta and Bombay but at this time of the year there is heavy dew at some centers and so the toss can be the deciding factor. No game of cricket should even be decided by which way the coin falls and so it’s imperative that the ICC look at this aspect and instruct it’s affiliates not to have day — night fixtures at venues where there will be heavy dew in the evenings.
Having the advantage of home pitches is one thing, as also the weather, which is the same for both sides but in a one-day game the dew factor only affects the side fielding second and that’s why no day-night games should be played at venues where there is heavy dew in the evenings. It’s not a big ask, is it?
