GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC):
CHETRAM SINGH is not surprised that today's third one-day international between West Indies and Zimbabwe at Bourda Oval has been abandoned even before a ball has been bowled.
Singh, the long-standing president of the Guyana Cricket Board, admits West Indies officials had taken a chance with the scheduling of the third and tomorrow's fourth one-day international in May, a traditionally very wet month of the year for the country located on the tip of the South American continent.
"We all knew it was risky, but the schedule of this year's international fixtures has been changed so many times," remarked Singh yesterday as he overlooked mopping up operations at the quaint little ground nestled in the heart of the Guyana capital.
"Initially, India were to start our international season in mid-April when Guyana was slated to have the first Test, but the Indians changed their fixtures, so then it was Zimbabwe which came first and they were to play the two ODIs on April 29
and 30.
He added: "I do not know if we could have played the two ODIs then either because of the weather, but then it was changed again, so I think we decided to take a chance with the first week in May and hope that the rain might not have started so early.
"This, however, is probably the first time that we have ever scheduled international matches in Guyana in May."
Research has shown that only one international match a Test against Pakistan six years ago in which the last two days were washed out has been scheduled in May.
Workmen from the Georgetown Cricket Club and inmates from the Georgetown Prison numbering close to two dozen were busy mopping up the outfield when the announcement filtered through that today's match had been abandoned.
The sun peeped through for 15 minutes to half hour to bring some hope that the weather might change, but the thick clouds that had the country under siege for the first half of the day quickly soon took control again.
The forecast calls for scattered thunderstorms and heavy showers over the next three days.
This weekend's ODIs were to mark the cessation of international matches at the Bourda Oval sward which hosted its first Test in 1930.
Both teams have been unable to train since their arrival in Guyana, with West Indies leading the seven-match ODI series 2-0, after back-to-back wins last weekend by five wickets and 98 runs in Antigua.
After the Guyana matches, the series continues on Wednesday when the two sides contest the first ODI under lights at the Beausejour Stadium in St. Lucia, before coming to an end with back-to-back matches at Queen's Park Oval in Trinidad.
