NZ-Afg Test: Opening day called off without a ball being bowled

Greater Noida, Sep 09: No play was possible on the opening day of the one-off Test between New Zealand and Afghanistan due to a wet outfield here on Monday.

The match officials conducted multiple inspections through the day but the conditions were not fit enough for players to take the field. There was no rain on Monday but the ground, lacking a modern drainage system, has has been impacted by heavy rain through the last week.

With rain and thunderstorms forecast throughout the week, it remains to be seen how many days of the Test is impacted.

This is the first-ever Test between New Zealand against Afghanistan who got their Test status in 2017.

Afghanistan, who have played 10 Tests so far, have endured defeats in their last three matches against Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Ireland.

For New Zealand, this will be their first Test since March and it will kick off a busy couple of months in the subcontinent ending with a three-Test series against India in October-November.

Deplorable conditions at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex, subpar drainage, a sodden outfield and woeful facilities played spoilsport as the opening day of the historic one-off Test between Afghanistan and New Zealand was called off on Monday without a ball being bowled.

The umpires conducted as many as six inspections throughout the day. Several New Zealand players too came out to assess the field, including skipper Tim Southee, all-rounders Mitchell Santner and Rachin Ravindra also ventured onto the pitch to evaluate the conditions.

But the mid-on and mid wicket area seemed cause of concern while there were also several patches inside the 30-yard circle.

At one point with the sun shining nice and bright, it looked like the match could get underway but the hopes of that were dashed when Kane Williamson tread wearily towards the pitch around 2 pm IST.

Even Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott looked unimpressed as the groundsmen struggled. The Super soppers inexplicably came into action only after 1pm.

The day's play was eventually called off at 4pm. The toss has been scheduled for 9am tomorrow and the remaining four days will have 98 overs each starting at 9.30am, instead of 10am.