Headingley ODI washed out
Headingley one-dayer between England and West Indies called off
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Thursday, 21, May 2009 10:13
Earlier rain and damp conditions underfoot at Headingley has forced the abandonment of the first one-day international between England and the West Indies.
The decision was made by umpires Steve Davis and Nigel Llong at 15:10 BST when, despite clearing skies and a drying outfield, it was deemed that no play would be possible before the latest possible start time of 16:30 BST.
A minimum of 25 overs per side would have been required to allow it to stand as an official one-day result.
At around 11:30 BST brighter weather allowed the ground staff to remove the covers but a sodden outfield meant the umpires decided against advising a start.
A series of pitch inspections showed the notoriously poor drainage at the Yorkshire ground has not improved, despite more than half a million pounds worth of investment over the winter.
As a result, the umpires felt compelled to call off the game because conditions underfoot posed a significant risk of injury to the fielding team.
The abandonment means the three-match series is reduced to two games, with the next fixture scheduled for Bristol on Sunday.