Ranji: No play for 2nd day at Eden Gardens

Kolkata: Saturday`s unprecedented downpour cast its spell for the second consecutive day in the Ranji Trophy Group B match between Bengal and Baroda as the play was not possible because of wet pitch and outfield.

The match was scheduled at Jadavpur University campus ground in Saltlake but the Cricket Association of Bengal shifted the match to Eden Gardens to see how the pitch behaves ahead of the opening Test between India and the West Indies in Sachin Tendulkar`s farewell series from November 6-10. The conditions were bright and sunny today and there was some hope for play but umpires K Srinath and P Jayapal ruled out play after three inspections because of a wet ground. It`s the same pitch that would be used for the 199th Test of Tendulkar but heavy downpour on Saturday had shattered CAB`s plans. "We had seven hours of waterlogging so we were helpless. We used six pumps but the waterlevel was up so it took time to clear the field," pitch curator Prabir Mukherjee said. But he added it was not a setback as they had enough time in hand to prepare the pitch for the high-profile Test. "We have enough time in hand to prepare the ground. Today`s second-day proceedings could not be held in keeping in mind of the players` safety. It`s the umpires who have the last word," Mukherjee said. As there was no rain since yesterday and today the sun was bright, the CAB hopes that the Ranji Trophy match would be held from tomorrow reducing it to a two-day affair.