Joe Root’s bid to have one remaining hit earlier than England’s World Cup departure used to be thwarted with the aid of a sodden outfield and what proved a maddening abandonment at Headingley.
Boos rang round the floor when the first one-day worldwide towards Ireland used to be referred to as off at 4.50pm barring a ball bowled. It had no longer rained for extra than two hours by means of this stage however sections of the outfield inclusive of the run-up vicinity for bowlers at the Kirkstall Lane End – have been deemed hazardous through the officials.
As nicely as leaving 14,000 spectators dismayed, and forcing the England and Wales Cricket Board to problem refunds by way of insurance, it denied Root the more time in the center he used to be craving. The No three had put his identify ahead for the first healthy performed with the aid of this in any other case second-string England facet earlier than subsequent week’s flight.
Recent rankings of six, nought, 4 and 29 towards New Zealand had triggered this however given the distinction in predicted stipulations in India and two warm-up fits in Guwahati earlier than England’s marketing campaign starts offevolved towards the Black Caps in Ahmedabad on 5 October it was once tough to see a awesome deal of cost in it for Root.
Not that this wasn’t the contemporary indictment of trying to stage global cricket in England in late September, with Headingley having skilled three days of rain for the duration of the lead-up. The Sky commentator Dominic Cork, who had been out in the center all through the wait for the ultimate inspection, established the floor was once nevertheless boggy underfoot.
“It wasn’t suit for play and I suppose that was once possibly the proper name in the end,” stated Zak Crawley, who ought to now wait till Saturday’s 2d ODI at Trent Bridge to captain England for the first time. “It was once very moist and it would have churned up if we’d played.
“It wouldn’t have been match for the bowlers. It’s disappointing. You’ve bought guys tearing in [to bowl at that end] and you don’t favor guys no longer performing at their best, that’s now not what humans come to see.”
Asked if the game ought to reflect onconsideration on being greater bendy in these scenarios, such as taking part in a shortened fit completely from one end, Crawley replied: “You don’t desire to lose what the recreation is by way of altering the policies too much. This time of yr it doesn’t dry as well. I’m now not certain there’s any greater the groundsmen ought to have done.
On the probabilities of Root figuring out to stick round and play on Saturday, Crawley added: “I assume he’s going to relaxation now till the World Cup.”
