India-Lanka ODI called off again, internal bickering costing series?

Colombo, Aug 19 (UNI) Swapping venue, reshuffling itinerary, doing away with the television-friendly day-night matches, mulling an ODI played over two days, the organisers clearly have not left any stone unturned but the jinxed Unitech Cup, now an India vs Sri Lanka affair, simply refuses to take off for the umpteenth time in the series.

Second ODI is slated for a 1000 hrs start tomorrow, weather permitting, organisers said.

With an adamant rain god pulling the strains from behind the blue firmament and heavens opening up at the most inopportune time, the series is yet to see a full match six days since its original starting schedule.

And the closest it came to a match was yesterday when India scored 11 for no loss after 16 minutes of play, allowing 3.4 overs.

Rahul Dravid (9) and comeback man Sachin Tendulkar (2) were supposed to resume the innings today at 1000 hrs but umpires Billy Bowden and Ashoka De Silva were not convinced by the conditions and agreed on another round of inspection at 1130 hrs.

But it started drizzling again at 1015 and groundsmen were scurrying with cover again. In fact, the cricket aficionados in Colombo with an unquenchable thirst for the game have seen more of the match officials and the grounds men than the cricketers and it was no exception today.

The tournament has been jinxed right from the beginning and hit the first roadblock when Monday's car bomb blast saw South Africa withdrawing from the series and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), after virtually begging for five ODIs against India, got the BCCI nod for three matches.

Meanwhile, the SLC is drawing flak from certain quarters, which claim that Dambulla, 150 km from here, could have hosted the matches but SLC office-bearers have an axe to grind on Thilanga Sumathipala, who controls Dambulla, and hence they refused to change to the venue.

''Dambulla could have been the ideal venue and the place didn't see any rain. The matches should have been played there, in fact that was originally planned. But the SLC, headed by Jayantha Dharmadasa has a personal vendetta against Thilanga Sumathipala and so Dambulla was ruled out,'' he revealed.

''At the politics-plagued SLC, it's always individual interest which is placed ahead of that of the nation,'' he rued.

Both the teams had arrived at the ground today, foxed by the morning sunshine before the umpires decided for another inspection and steady drizzles ruled out whatever prospect of a tie.

Groundsmen told the umpires that with pools of water on the tarpaulin covers, they would need at least four hours to clear up things and that left the organisers with little time for even a 20-overs-a-side match.

The Indian team had a discussion in their hotel after returning from the ground and they would be frequenting the hotel gym and pool to stay in shape, especially with no real action looking imminent.

''They are naturally upset that the series is yet to see a full match. They had a cricket discussion in the hotel and they would be staying indoor,'' Team India media manager Rajan Nair told UNI.

Meanwhile, the met office prediction won't sound as music to the organisers' ears as the same weather is expected to prevail over the entire week.

UNI AY PM VP1307