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Afghanistan-New Zealand Test abandoned without ball being bowled / Photo: © AFP
Afghanistan-New Zealand Test abandoned without ball being bowled
The one-off Test between Afghanistan and New Zealand was washed out on Friday after five days of rain, just the eighth Test in history to be abandoned without a ball being bowled.
Afghanistan's adopted home ground at Greater Noida, on New Delhi's outskirts, has been hit by persistent rain, forcing officials to call the match off without even staging the toss.
However, there were also question marks about the venue, which was hosting its first-ever Test and has only basic drainage and facilities.
Despite some sunshine on day one and two, the outfield remained soaked.
Afghanistan are unable to host international matches because of the security situation at home.
The last time an entire Test match was washed out was in December 1998, when New Zealand hosted India in Dunedin.
An abandoned 1970 Test match between Australia and England in Melbourne gave birth to one-day international cricket.
The two teams in that contest decided to play a 40-over contest on the originally scheduled fifth day once the weather had relented, and it was later officially recognised as the first-ever ODI.
Unusual methods were used to dry the ground this week at Greater Noida with electric fans used on wet patches that were also dug up and replaced with new mud and grass.
The tactics proved futile as unrelenting rain on day three, four and five pelted the ground, which was left with covers and puddles.
Afghanistan have successfully played six Twenty20 and five one-day internationals at the Greater Noida venue since 2017.
The country's cricket board said they chose it again over other options due its proximity to the Delhi airport.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has offered Afghanistan venues to train and host matches outside their troubled nation.
Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) officials have been cautious about criticism, fearing it could spoil relations with the BCCI.
Afghanistan have participated in nine prior Tests after getting five-day status in 2017 and made a bruising introduction in 2018 when they lost their debut match to India inside two days.
They have improved in the years since, winning three Tests.
Tim Southee's New Zealand, who did not complete a single training session due to the weather, will next travel to Sri Lanka for two Tests before returning for three more against India.
H.Davis--SFF
