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World Test final hit by another weather delay
SOUTHAMPTON, United Kingdom, June 20, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – The ill-fated World Test Championship final between India and New Zealand was hit by another weather delay on Sunday as a wet outfield prevented the third day’s play at Southampton from starting on time.
The match should have resumed at 10:30 am local time (0930 GMT) but the umpires ruled the outfield was too wet, with a further inspection planned for 10:20 am (0920 GMT).
India are currently 146-3 in their first innings after losing the toss, with captain Virat Kohli 44 not out and Ajinkya Rahane 29 not out after New Zealand’s all-pace attack kept things tight in favourable, overcast conditions.
Friday’s first day was washed out without any play at all and there were three interruptions due to bad light on Saturday, even though the Hampshire Bowl’s floodlights were on full beam.
Only 64.4 overs out of 180 scheduled for the first two days have so far been bowled.
Match referee Chris Broad, however, does have a special dispensation to extend this match into an additional sixth day on Wednesday if he rules extra time is required to compensate for overs lost earlier in the game.
This match, the culmination of the inaugural World Test Championship that has spanned two years of series between the leading Test nations, is worth $1.6 million to the winners and $800,000 to the runners-up.
BSS/AFP/AU/15:30 hrs