Rain ruins second day's play at Mutare

Unexpected and unseasonal overnight rain on an inadequately covered pitch, together with a brief drizzle at lunchtime and very light Scottish mist at times during the day, caused the second day's play at Mutare Sports Club to be abandoned without a ball bowled.

It was a victim of Mutare's unreliable weather, but it was also disappointing to see the sort of attitude that brings cricket into disrepute. This was the first match to be played at Mutare against a full international team. There were hundreds of schoolchildren present. But with the outfield and pitch a little damp - the qualities of the latter untested - the players were unwilling to give it a try and the umpires were not prepared to make them.

With a little more willingness on their part there could have been perhaps half a day's play, although not in ideal conditions. But as seems to be usual, professional players are not prepared to make the best of a bad job. This is the sort of situation that does the reputation of the game no credit whatsoever. Javagal Srinath, however, did his best for the game by joining an impromptu game with a group of children on the outfield.