Date-stamped : 04 Mar97 - 10:21 Report: Sri Lanka v New Zealand A ===> Day 1 (2 Mar 1997) First day `rained-off` against N.Zealand `A` Elmo Rodrigopulle reporting from New Zealand Harry Barker Reserve ground, Gisborne, Sunday The game between Sri Lanka and New Zealand `A` which was due to begin here today was called off almost an hour before the game was scheduled to start because overnight rain had seeped through the covers on to the wicket and also made the surrounding areas soggy and unfit for play. As for the Sri Lankans who were terribly short of match practice and who were endeavouring to get their Test line-up in action it was frustrating and disappointing. Looking out of the press box and at the time of writing, the cu- rators were doing their utmost to get the area ready for play to- morrow. Rain drops keep falling and unless the area is completely fit for play with no danger of injury to the players, play seems remote even on the second day. This being a first class game, the New Zealand Cricket Associa- tion must take the blame for this fiasco. It should have been their (NZCA) business to check whether the hosts had the neces- sary covers and equipment in case the weather takes a turn for the worst to protect the wicket and see that the game starts on time. But in this instance the inadequacy of the Poverty Bay Cricket Association to possess the necessary equipment to guard against the weather was badly exposed. Poverty Bay Cricket Association are the hosts of the game. In- cidentally the name Poverty bay was given by Captain Cook. It is said that when Cook landed here he was not given enough to eat. And so the name. That was in 1769 and Gisborne has come along way since. Captain Arjuna Ranatunga and manager Duleep Mendis expressed great disappointment. `We had only a practice two-day game in Taupo. We were looking forward to giving our Test line-up a good work out in this game. It was disappointing to arrive at the ground and then be told that no play would be possible, they said. Bruce Yardley the coach said that the surrounding areas and the run-ups were not conducive for play. `We can`t take risks`, he said. Yardley said that he would have preferred if the game in Taupo was made a three-day game and this one a two dayer. However, manager Mendis is keen to get in some play. `Even if there is no play on day two we would like to play a one-day game and give the boys some practice`, said Mendis. The Lankan players are looking fit and are very cheerful. They are obliging autograph hunters and are very popular every where they go, as they are carry the World Champions tag with them. This is the second first class game that the PBCA was hosting. The previous one was when they entertained the Pakistanis in 1979. Chris King and Tony Hill are the two umpires. It was they who quite rightly decided that play was not possible. They had a close look at the wicket, the run-ups and the practice pitches inside the ground and promptly decided that play was out of the question, at least for the first day. Incidentally Chris King will do the first Test between Sri Lanka and New Zealand with Zimbabwean Ian Robinson. John Heikell, the amiable president of the PBCA, was of the opin- ion that the umpires could have waited awhile, instead of calling play off for the day at once. `Matches have restarted in worse conditions than this`, he said. All here are keeping their fingers crossed hoping for some play tomorrow. Source :: Daily News (http://www.lanka.net/lakehouse) ====> Day 2 (3 Mar 1997) Three-days game a damp squib One - day game today if weather permits Elmo Rodrigopulle reporting from New Zealand Harry Barker Reserve, Gisborne, Monday A damp squib! That is how the three-day first class game between Sri Lanka and New Zealand `A` ended on the second day after lunch without a ball being bowled here today. Saturday`s rain had left the wicket and its surrounding areas wet and with no proper covers, a slight drizzle on Sunday night, made play impossible. Thus this first class game was buried in the wet and slippery clay with the last rites performed by the Poverty Bay Cricket Club, the hosts and, the New Zealand Cricket Association. This game suffered a sad death owing to the inability of the PBCA to be equipped with the necessary covers and the NZCA for being somewhat irresponsible in not checking whether the hosts were able to conduct a big game, if the weather turned bad. The umpires, along with The Management of the two teams and the match administrator John Reid, in consultation with the New Zea- land Cricket Board, decided to play a `cowboy game` tomorrow and that too will depend on the weather. Incidentally match administrator John Reid toured Sri Lanka in 1984 and made his highest ever Test score of 180 against Sri Lan- ka in a test at the Colombo Cricket Club ground. Reid spoke in glowing terms of that tour, which he well remembers and recalled with delight playing in Galle and Radella. Reid is now fully involved in cricket with the NZCA looking after its administration, coaching and development. He said that the Sri Lankan tour is one that he will not forget in terms of the hospitality. The Sri Lankans are frantically in need of match practice. New Zealand whom they will meet in two Test and three one-dayers have had a surfeit of cricket, playing England in three Tests and five one-dayers. In addition to not being equipped with the proper covers, the practice facilities too were not up to standard. The Lankans who could not have a game, were disappointed that they could not even have a decent practice session and other than for doing their physical exercises in the gym, could not have a bat or a bowl. Umpires Chris King and Tony Hill after inspecting the wicket and the surrounding areas said they would have a look again after lunch and with the sun refusing to come out and dry the surface, they had no alternative, but to call off the day`s play. A one day game has been scheduled for tomorrow and the Lankans will be hoping to get their act together out in the middle. The Lankans who have been deprived of play, have been also bil- leted in a sub-standard hotel. It is a pre-requisite that Test playing nations be provided with five-star accommodation. But in this instance there is no star, but sub standard accommodation. Daniel Vettori the left arm spinner is being tagged as a sensa- tion here. He is expected to lead New Zealand`s victory charge against Sri Lanka in the tests. The Lankans have watched videos and studied how he goes. They are hoping that they will be able to play him in the one-day game tomorrow. It is important that they have a look at him be- fore taking him on in the big games. At the time of completing this article and looking out of the press window there is a heavy shower and whether the game will be played tomorrow is a toss up. Source :: Daily News (http://www.lanka.net/) ===> Day 2 (3 Mar 1997) Sri Lanka Suffers Blow To Test Preparations GISBORNE -- The Sri Lankan cricket team's test preparations suffered a significant setback yesterday when the weather and inefficient pitch covers conspired to rob them of vital match practice. The opening day of its three-day match against New Zealand A was abandoned without a ball being bowled at Harry Barker Reserve. Overnight rain leaked under the covers protecting the pitch and left the surrounding wicket block soaked. "I wasn't prepared to risk our guys today bowling and running around on that," Sri Lankan coach Bruce Yardley said. It was a day wasted for the tourists, who are racing the clock to prepare fully for the first test against New Zealand which starts at Carisbrook in Dunedin on Friday. Sri Lanka opened its month-long tour by drawing a two-day game against Northern Districts in Taupo on Friday, and Yardley put on a brave face when discussing his team's test-time dilemma. "We have a test match in a few days, and although our players have been playing in their domestic competition at home before we came to New Zealand, the conditions are completely different." He was confident his players' preparation would not be too adversely affected by the loss of the day's play. "I think these guys are professional enough and experienced enough in the game to be able to adapt. Our batsmen have such lovely techniques and are so skilled that it won't make a difference." Gisborne was cloaked in heavy cloud for most of yesterday and while only light drizzle fell intermittently, patchy rainfall is forecast for today. Yardley said he felt most sorry for his teenaged left arm seam bowler Nuwan Zoysa, who had to wait another 24 hours to officially begin his first match for Sri Lanka. "The one I feel for is Nuwan, who would have been keen to get a full three days under his belt on his first trip away from home." Zoysa was plucked from the obscurity of schoolboy cricket and pitched into the national side at the urging of Sri Lankan skipper Arjuna Ranatunga, who first saw the 1.96m 18-year-old bowling in a school match eight months ago. "He's the best young player I've seen in Sri Lanka," Ranatunga said. "I don't believe in holding someone back because of his age. If you're good enough, you're good enough." -- NZPA Source :: The Christchurch Press (http://www.press.co.nz) ===> Day 3 (4 Mar 1997) Venue Angers Sri Lankan Coach GISBORNE -- Sri Lankan coach Bruce Yardley blames New Zealand Cricket for his team's scheduled three-day match against New Zealand A being abandoned on the second day in Gisborne yesterday. No play was possible during the opening four sessions after rain seeped under the covers on to the pitch and left several soaked areas on the wicket block which was largely left unprotected because of a shortage of tarpaulin covers. The umpires, Chris King (Otago) and Northern Districts' Tony Hill, conferred with the two teams before abandoning the game after lunch yesterday and announcing a 50-overs-per-side one-day match would be played between the sides today -- weather permitting. There appears every chance that match will be affected by the weather, too, with patchy rain forecast for today. Yardley said the right decision had been made, but then took NZC to task for allocating a match to Harry Barker Reserve which he does not believe is up to first-class standard. "As much as I appreciate what the locals have done to get everything up to scratch, this ground is definitely not up to first-class standard," the former Australian off-spinner said. "I don't know who is to blame here but if you are going to stage a first-class match here on a ground like this I think the cricket board (NZC) should have a match committee to inspect the facilities and make sure there are enough covers to cover the entire square. "The responsibility rests with New Zealand Cricket," said Yardley, clearly frustrated with the disruption caused to his side's preparations for the first test against New Zealand which starts at Carisbrook in Dunedin on Friday. "Had there been adequate covers play would possibly have started yesterday afternoon, if not definitely this morning. "There weren't enough covers to go around, it's as simple as that. Everything else was catered for except the pitch -- the most important thing." NZC operations manager John Reid said his organisation might establish tougher guidelines before allocating matches to regional centres. "It may well be that we have to lay down more stringent conditions in terms of block covering for first-class matches." -- NZPA Source :: The Christchurch Press (http://www.press.co.nz) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)