A member of the ground staff stands near pools of water next to the covers on the pitch as rain delays play on the first day of the third cricket Test match between Australia and India at The Gabba in Brisbane on December 14, 2024. (Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP)
A heavy and continuous downpour in Brisbane forced a washout of the final two sessions of play on Day 1 of the third Test between India and Australia on Saturday.
The heavy rain made the Gabba look like a mini pond for a while, until the downpour reduced to drizzles and the settled water quickly drained.
However, the rain persisted and few damp spots remained in the ground forcing authorities to take the harsh step.
Asked to bat first by the Indian Skipper after winning the toss, Australia remained unbeaten at 28 after 13 overs.
Meanwhile, Brisbane, witnessing unusual December rains over the past few weeks has recorded the second-highest spell of rain already, sparking concerns on smooth conduct of the match.
Weather forecast services, however, predicted a decent chance of rain for the next four days, sending fans into dismay.
According to AccuWeather, the Queensland city on Sunday (Day 2) has a 46 percent probability of rain (Precipitation). While a significant 67 percent chance of rain was predicted for Monday.
On the other hand a cloud cover of 48 percent was forecasted for Tuesday with a 68 percent chance of rain. Wednesday serves a glimmer of hope with just a 19 percent probability of rain.
Meanwhile, Cricket Australia will refund spectators the ticket prize of Day 1 as the match saw less than 15 overs of action.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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