Even those who adore cricket can get frustrated by it.
One of the big bugbears is when it could be being played but isn’t.
We saw just that on a rain-affected third day at Lord’s in which only 9.4 overs were witnessed, when, in a Test that has been played at warp speed, there was a distinct lack of urgency.
Wet weather had delayed the start of play but at around 11.55am, with this famous old ground then bathed in sunshine, news emerged that lunch would be taken at 12.20pm.
That meant the first ball of the day would be delivered at 1pm, just when it was forecast that the rain would return.
It duly did, after only 11 balls had been bowled.
Sky Sports Cricket’s Ian Ward called the situation “ludicrous” as he referenced how golf tee times are altered and the timing of F1 races shifted in the event of inclement weather.
“There is heavy rain forecast from about 1pm, certainly from 3pm, and no action is going to take place while the sun is shining. That is cricket in a nutshell sometimes, I’m afraid.”
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Ollie Robinson’s twin strike of Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell in the short passage of play possible left New Zealand 55-5 in pursuit of 254 to win
What you made of frustrating weather delay?
Readers of the Sky Sports blog were also less than amused…
Ad Jackson: Why on earth are they not out there playing now? Every forecast says it’s going to rain around 1pm. Absolutely ludicrous.
Dave: Time to abolish these ludicrously rigid rules. Why do they need lunch? Get out there and play!!!
Owen: We have this debate every time there is rain, everyone it seems, except the decision makers, agree that we need to get play going quicker. Why does nothing ever change?
TomL: The sun is out and the covers are off. Yet it’s just announced that play will start at 1pm, with lunch to be taken at 12.20. Rain is forecast in 45mins. How can this be justified in elite-level sport? Cricket does itself no favours.
James: Cricket again is showing itself up…these long delays when the covers come off it’s like these people haven’t ever lived in England. When it stops raining the players need to be out and ready to go in an instant, not “oh it’s ok now, will play in half an hour”.
Way: Why are they taking lunch now when the sun is shining! It’s gonna rain all afternoon. We are being mugged off and they don’t need feeding.
Greg H: So, the best weather of the day, the players will be having lunch?! This is where Test cricket shoots itself in the foot. It’s ridiculous. Get out there and play whilst they can and take lunch next time the rain comes!
Just 9.4 overs were bowled on Saturday as rain dominated
‘Taking lunch at that time wouldn’t have made sense to fans’
Sky Sports’ Nasser Hussain, on commentary for the 11-ball stint once play finally began said: “I couldn’t understand why they didn’t take lunch earlier and start at 12.20pm.
“Maybe the umpires wanted to give the players time to warm-up but they could have done that indoors. In the sunniest part of the day we had lunch. That was a bizarre decision.
“When the weather was good we were eating, when the weather was bad we tried to play cricket. That can’t make sense for people who have come in. A Saturday at Lord’s has a different feel and people have waited all week to come in.”
Sky Sports’ Mel Jones added: “As a sport we can’t quite get this right. We will probably finish the summer and then come back and have the same conversation again.
“As frustrating as the rain is, I think people are more frustrated that the leaders of the sport cannot find a way to alleviate the situation.”
England are favourites to seal victory on day four at Lord’s
Issues like this have been grating cricket fans for years.
Often bad light is a cause of their ire and the ICC has gone about trying to fight that by announcing that the pink ball – used in day-night Tests – will be trialled in traditional day Tests in order to continue playing in the gloom.
We don’t yet know when that will come into effect – it is not an option for this England vs New Zealand series – but it should mean fans get more cricket going forward.
It seems a common-sense decision, something that was perhaps lacking when the sun shone at Lord’s on Saturday…
Watch day four of the first Test between England and New Zealand live on Sky Sports Cricket and Main Event from 10.15am on Sunday Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with NOW.
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