Only at the Basin
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There was a bit of chat earlier in the week about the wind at the Basin Reserve on what turned out to be the last day of the test match against Sri Lanka. Fair enough, it was breezy enough to force the camera operators down from the scaffolding at the Government House end, meaning that the coverage had a 1980s feel to it.
It was unusual, but it was in no way unique. Weather induced issues have always been a part of the ground’s rich history.
Here are some of the highlights.
Australia 1946: Heavy rain prior to the test ruined the pitch so they played on an unprepared adjacent strip. New Zealand scored 42 and 54.
England 1951: Rain had seeped through the covers on what was scheduled to be Day One, leaving wet patches on the playing surface. NZ win toss and batted anyway. By the end of the first day played 13 wickets had fallen for 167 runs.
Pakistan 1973: The toss was delayed by threat of rain, but the game started in drizzle anyway. A couple of Pakistan’s top order wore glasses and struggled to keep them dry.
India 1976: Bishan Bedi called it “the worst cricket ground in the world” after three days of freezing southerlies. He had been hospitalised during the test for tonsilitis which probably did not help his mood.
Those Bedi comments were the jolt that was needed to upgrade the ground and realign the pitch to make it slightly less of a wind tunnel.
Australia 1982: 56 days of fine weather before the Test proved the theory about how you break a drought. New Zealand batted first, but there was very little play on the first four days – Edgar scored 55, batting into the fifth day.
West Indies 1987: On the fourth day the gale was so strong none of Marshall, Garner, Walsh, or Holding felt like bowling into it, so the second new ball was not taken. The innings lasted 177 overs, with Richards bowling 47 of those.
It turned out to be the great Michael Holding’s last test.
Zimbabwe 1988: Campbell and Streak tried to get the Test to the final day, where NZ quickly wrap up the Zim innings and hit the 20 runs required inside 4 overs. That was just as well, because it then rained for two days.
Australia 2010. The only recorded case of the wind being strong enough to blow the covers away followed by a chasing ground staff. Fortunately the sightscreen at the Southern end caught them.