Groundsmen move in to cover the pitch at Nehru stadium, Fatorda anticipating rain threat to the one-day cricket match to be played on Sunday. Heavy showers were witnessed all over the state on Friday evening.
PANAJI: A spell of heavy rain on Friday evening has created fresh concerns about the fate of Sunday’s third and final One-day international between India and Australia, to be played at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium, Fatorda.
It was overcast the whole day and started to pour around 5 p.m. The rain undid all the hard work the ground staff had put in over the last few days.
Already, there were a few wet patches on the outfield, outside the 30-yard circle, and the latest wet spell will worsen the situation.
The state meteoro-logical department has forecast more rain in the state for the next couple of days.
The circulation off-Maharashtra is getting stronger and is drifting towards south Konkan and Goa region which has created this cloudy condition. It is likely to rain in next 48 hours in several parts of the state, meteorological department director Mr K V Singh said.
The Australian team, trailing 0-1 in the series, had a three-hour session in the morning, with most of their players looking to get used to the conditions.
The Indian team had their nets session in the evening, but captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Ashish Nehra and R Ashwin were not at the ground.
Goa will be hosting an ODI after three years. It last hosted an ODI in February 2007.
We have been competitive: Nielsen
MARGAO: Australia might be winless so far in India in the ongoing tour with only the third and final ODI remaining to be played on Sunday, but visiting team coach Tim Nielsen on Friday said they have been competitive having lost the two Tests and the lone 50-over match by narrow margins.
Australia lost both the Tests and go into the final ODI on October 24 trailing the hosts 0-1 after losing the previous tie at Visakhapatnam on October 20.
It’s harsh. We played just one game (ODI). We made 290 and we just got beaten. We lost the first Test match at Mohali when one ball could have made the difference, he said about the two close matches that Australia, who used to revel in such situations in the past, lost.
In the thrilling Mohali Test, Australia could not separate the last wicket partnership between V V S Laxman and Pragyan Ojha as India coasted home to 216.
Despite the winless tour so far, Nielsen said there were positives to be taken for his side.
It’s been good, especially for our bowling group. We had both (Mitchell) Starc and (John) Hastings making debuts in the Vizag game and (Clint) Mckay has played only once (at Vizag) after a gap of 10 ODIs. It’s been an excellent experience for our young bowling group, said Nielsen after the team practice session at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
