The WTC Finals are underway in Southampton, England and yesterday were supposed to be the first day. Alas, that could not happen since the British rains ruined the party. Play was called off for the day because of incessant rains. ICC has thankfully kept one extra reserve day which the teams could utilize in case of this kind of exigency. The fans have been frantically praying that the net four days plus the additional day of play is without many showers of rain.
The rains on day one dampened the spirits of cricket lovers who anxiously waited for the WTC Finals for months. The reserve extra day allows the finals to have a result. But this was a special exception mandated by the ICC keeping in mind the gravity of the match. It is not always the case for other test matches. There have been innumerable test matches where major parts of a session or an entire day has been washed out.
Here are 4 such instances where rains have spoiled the party and yet the test has produced a definite result.
2nd test India vs Eng, 2018 series
The match was in Lord’s and India had come into the game after losing the first match. India had to enforce a win in this game to keep its hopes alive in the series. As luck would have it, the entire first day was washed out by incessant rains. No play could take place on the first day. The second day opened with overcast conditions and India was batting first. The team rolled over for a paltry 107. After that, there was no contest since Bairstow with 93 and Woakes with 137 killed all of India’s chances. England ended up winning by an innings and 159 runs.
3rd test India vs Sri Lanka, 2015 series
The series was leveled at 1-1 and the 3rd test at the Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo was the decider match. But 15 overs into the game, the first day had to be called off. This series was part of the initial days of captain Kohli and the series set the tone for his style of captaincy. Having lost one complete day, India did not lose steam. Cheteshwar Pujara who was in ominous touch scored a magnificent 145 not out and then it was an Ishant Sharma show who picked a fifer to get India hefty first-innings lead. India managed to win the match by 117 runs.
2nd test Eng vs WI, 2020 series
West Indies were touring England in July 2020 and this series was vital for the ECB. The covid pandemic had taken a financial toll on the board and this series could help in salvaging some revenue. Cricket would also help the country, which was reeling under the first wave, to focus on something else. The first test was won by WI. The test was held at Old Trafford, Manchester. Day 3, which is supposed to be the moving day in a test, had to be completely called off without a ball being bowled due to continuous rains. When it seemed impossible for a result, Benjamin Stokes created his magic and single-handedly took his team across the line. He scored a first-innings 176 and followed it with a quick-fire second inning 57 balls 78. He then bowled a continuous 11 over spell replete with bouncers and got the prized wicket of Blackwood. England won the match by 113 runs.
4th test Ind vs Eng, 2014 series
The test was at Old Trafford, Manchester and India were 1-1 going into the match. It was a 5 match series and this match held vital importance for both teams to secure a series win. India had collapsed to 8 for 4 on the first day but due to heroic innings by Dhoni, India could reach 152. In reply, England scored a mammoth 367 with half-centuries from Root, Buttler, and Bell. The rains arrived on the second day and wiped out close to two sessions of the day. The way England was batting, it seemed that India was praying to the rain gods. But a washout was not on the cards. England put India to bat on the third day and ran through the Indian line-up to have them all-out for 161. England won by an innings and 54 runs.
