The fickle English weather played spoilsport in a game promising high quality contest as day four of the inaugural World Test Championship final between India and New Zealand was washed out due to rain.
For the second time in the one-off clash, a whole day was lost after no play was possible also on the opening day.
With the weather not improving since morning at the Hampshire Bowl, the umpires took the call almost four hours and 30 minutes after the scheduled start time of 10.30 am local time (3 pm IST).
“Day four of the #WTC21 Final has been abandoned due to persistent rain,” read an ICC update.
The fans who were patiently waiting for the play to start had to leave disappointed.
“We thank our fans who turned up and kept the tempo high. See you again, tomorrow,” the BCCI added.
Rain is not forecast for the remaining two days of the big final but it is likely to remain overcast as it has been the case so far when play did take place. When it wasn’t the rain, bad light stopped play on both day two and day three.
A maximum of 196 overs can be played in the game to force a result. The trophy will be shared if the game is drawn.
Rookie New Zealand pacer Kyle Jamieson, who rattled India with a fifer, on the third day of the WTC final, feels that any batsman could have been dismissed with that inswinger that got rid of rival skipper Virat Kohli.
Jamieson got a five wicket haul as New Zealand dismissed India for 217 on the third day of the WTC final and then scored 101 for 2 at close of play.
Asked if setting up Kohli with outswingers and then bringing one back in like they did in New Zealand is a template they have said, Jamieson answered in affirmative.
“Oh, I guess yes. May be there is some sort of pattern and this we know talk about huge amount, the one that I was able to get him (Kohli) today certainly seamed back a little-bit.
“And that was pretty hard to control as a bowler and pretty harder to manage as a batter no matter who you are. So I don't think it is necessarily just for him (Kohli),” Jamieson said at the virtual post-day press conference on Sunday night.
According to the 26-year-old lanky speedster, who returned with fine figures of 5-31, Kohli's dismissal played a key part in how things unfolded on the second day.
“Yeah, obviously he (Kohli) is a massive part of their team and pretty big wicket to get, so to get him pretty early morning, was I guess was nice and pleasing and pretty crucial for how the day followed,” added the right-arm pacer.