Margao: The Goa Cricket Association today promised to refund ticket-holders if the third and final one-dayer between India and Australia is washed out here on Sunday.
The GCA is, however, hoping that the match at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium will be held despite unseasonal rains threatening to play spoilsport.
“If it does not rain (from now on) and normal sunshine is there tomorrow morning, the match will start on time,” said Goa cricket association’s president Dayanand Narvekar at a press conference this afternoon.
“In case it rains and the match gets washed out without a ball being bowled, we will refund the money to the ticket holders. The match is insured for Rs one core,” Narvekar said.After heavy rains a few days ago, it finally seems that the match would be held as scheduled, but last evening’s heavy rains which continued till this morning put the organisers on tenterhooks.
The ground staff had to work hard to remove the water from the tarpaulin which covered 90 per cent of the ground.
The Indian and Australian teams’ morning practice sessions were cancelled due to inclement weather, but both the teams came out to practice in the afternoon following improved conditions.
With the sun too coming out in the afternoon, umpire Billy Bowden and match referee Chris Broad, who inspected the pitch, gave positive signals that the match will start tomorrow, stated Narvekar.
“The umpires will have their first inspection tomorrow at 7:30 am and second if needed at 11:30 a.m,” Narvekar said.“The pitch is excellent and there is no drop of water in the 30-yards circle. Except for some wet patches near the boundary lines, which we will remove by using saw dust, the ground conditions are good,” he stated.
However, the met department here has been predicting heavy rains over the next 48 hours.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, October 23, 2010, 21:58