Cricket World Cup: Bangladesh v Sri Lanka rained off

Last updated on 11 June 2019.From the section Cricket142

Groundstaff at Bristol — Two of the three matches Bristol hosted were abandoned without a ball being bowled

A record third World Cup match was abandoned because of rain as Bangladesh's game against Sri Lanka was called off without a ball being bowled.

With persistent rain falling in Bristol, the match - due to start at 10:30 BST - was called off shortly before 14:00.

Sri Lanka's game against Pakistan at Bristol on 7 June was also washed out.

"We put men on the moon so why can't we have a reserve day?" said Bangladesh coach Steve Rhodes.

"I know that it would have been difficult, but we have got quite a lot of time in between games, and if we have got to travel a day later, then so be it."

The previous highest number of abandoned games in a World Cup was two, in 1992 and 2003.

Just 7.3 overs were possible in the match between West Indies and South Africa at Southampton on Monday.

Only the semi-finals and final have scheduled reserve days.

The ICC's head of events Chris Tetley told BBC 5 Live that scheduling reserve days for each stage of the tournament would "inevitably extend the length of the event, which isn't necessarily something that people want".

"The event would have a much greater impact on the domestic summer for cricket in the UK because we would be blocking out venues for a longer period of time," he added.

"The match schedule would need to have been drafted right at the outset with reserve days in mind.

"We obviously can't contemplate introducing reserve days midway through the tournament, it's not something we can do on the fly, it's something that needs to have been planned well in advance."

Test Match Special commentator Daniel Norcross tweeted this statistic from Bristol

"There is a lot of frustration for all teams - coming to the ground and not playing is disappointing," said Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza.

Sri Lanka skipper Dimuth Karunaratne said: "We've been playing poker, playing some cards."

Rain is forecast at Taunton on Wednesday, when Australia play Pakistan, and also on Thursday at Trent Bridge, where India face New Zealand.

The forecast is better for England's meeting with West Indies at Southampton on Friday.

With both sides taking a point from Tuesday's wash-out, Sri Lanka move up to fifth in the table and Bangladesh climb to seventh. The top four teams qualify for the semi-finals.

Sri Lanka seamer Lasith Malinga will fly to Colombo for his mother-in-law's funeral, but is expected to return for Saturday's game against Australia at The Oval.

Bangladesh play West Indies at Taunton on Monday.

Mortaza said: "It is a do-or-die match for us and we will need everyone. We have to play hard and let's see what happens."

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142 comments

Comment posted by GBNige, at 17:55 11 Jun 2019
Ridiculous not to have scheduled reserve days.
This is a World Cup and we could see semi finalists decided by the weather. Simply not good enough
Comment posted by U17038446, at 18:52 11 Jun 2019
Bails that don't come off when a fast bowlers delivery hits the stumps, one team being given preferential fixture treatment, and now the prospect of the semi-finalists being decided by the rain - becoming a strange old tournament this.
Comment posted by bean43, at 18:09 11 Jun 2019
In hindsight a June tournament looks a bad idea, but I hear the one next year has already topped it for bad ideas... "The hundred"
Comment posted by SwimsAlongAnduin, at 18:27 11 Jun 2019
No hope for the AUS-PAK game tomorrow, or the IND-NZ game the day after.

With the latitudinal position of England, the summer-time daylight duration is huge; allowing a reserve game early next day, without interfering with a late-start "scheduled" game later in the day.

If ICC wanted to, they would have found a way. They simply didn't care for the tourney. ICC only cares for tele-revenue.
Comment posted by rafa, at 18:13 11 Jun 2019
Absurd you can have 2 games on same day but can’t do that for an abandoned game to be rescheduled .
Comment posted by MD , at 19:57 11 Jun 2019
What happens when TV drives the gig I'm afraid. From a playing perspective there is absolutely no reason they couldn't have scheduled reserve days & contrary to what the ICC says, it adds nothing to the timetable as the schedule allows for overlap. The only impact is broadcasters not wanting to manage the logistics of that, presumably as it will cost them more. So there's the answer.
Comment posted by U17702435, at 18:00 11 Jun 2019
I hope India v Pakistan on Sunday is not a wash out!! That's the match to watch. Greatest rivalry ever...
Comment posted by SwimsAlongAnduin, at 18:34 11 Jun 2019
Also, during intermittent stoppages due to weather, the umpires ALWAYS inspect the condition "after" 30-40 minutes. Even if the drizzle stopped and sun's contour can be seen, you wait 30 minutes for inspection, and another 15 for resumption. By that time, a fresh bout of rain is imminent! 45 minutes of good weather lost just like that.
What logic explains this? Why ICC is unwilling to change?
Comment posted by Dusty Pigeon, at 18:08 11 Jun 2019
The timing is a shame as Bristol had been pretty dry for the last couple of months but the weather has been shocking for 4 of the last 5 days.
Comment posted by TheKnowledge, at 21:53 11 Jun 2019
This is all down to SkyTV. They are killing sport.
Comment posted by Malc, at 18:36 11 Jun 2019
I don't confess to know a great deal about cricket but I do enjoy listening to it while driving. I have to ask though... how can you have a World Cup of ANY sport where games are not getting played and potentially costing teams in places in latter rounds? I know you can't control the weather, but surely contingencies have beenput in place? Haven't really though this one through, have you boys?
Comment posted by Joba 1, at 20:08 11 Jun 2019
Shame it wasn’t held last year, as the weather was fabulous! Once one match is cancelled because of rain, it makes the whole tournament null and void imo, as the whole thing becomes unfair. Can’t think of another sport in which matches are cancelled due to bad weather. Can’t put a roof on all the grounds, so the only answer is to include reserve days.
Comment posted by Tchellmi, at 18:08 11 Jun 2019
Why can't they just reschedule the abandoned matches as an evening double header; ie 2 matches in the same day. Any abandoned game will affect the final outcome of the competition which is completely wrong especially for a world cup.
Comment posted by SiDorey, at 18:05 11 Jun 2019
Poor planning by the ICC! There should be reserve days. Quite surprised there isn't two games on a Sunday. This could solve the problem.
Comment posted by jubilicious, at 21:37 11 Jun 2019
Playing more than one game per day would inevitably leave more time for reserve days. Shame the tv monster rules all
Comment posted by KezC, at 18:52 11 Jun 2019
It's a silly tournament if matches are not allowed to finish because of the predictable weather. Matches should be adjourned until the weather improves, however long it takes.
Comment posted by JohnMann, at 19:14 11 Jun 2019
This is not a world cup competition. First there's the unfair match fixtures with India starting 7 days later and then getting 4 to 6 days off between games

Then there's one match per day nonsense

Matches should have been played 2 or 3 per day and this would allow reserve days

So far 5 teams have been effected by rain including tomorrows match for Aus vs Pak & Pak has been affected twice
Comment posted by Kingnick1956, at 19:07 11 Jun 2019
Absolutely nothing contest, the only so called World Cup that is decided by the weather. When are the idiots at the ICC going to realise that reserve days or grounds are a must, it can not be beyond the wit of man to look at the weather forecast in advance and move the games accordingly. Once again the so called World Cup will be one by a team that have less games called off because of the weather
Comment posted by misanthropicbore, at 18:04 11 Jun 2019
This could potentially ruin the tournament.
Comment posted by Stephen Taylor, at 22:28 11 Jun 2019
Trevor - for your information Rupert Murdoch no longer to do with Sky . Sky now belongs to Comcast but I agree pay TV has killed the game of cricket . The ECB made a massive mistake after the 2005 Ashes.