Calcutta play stopped

Press, 3 January 1985, Page 3

Calcutta play stopped

NZPA-Reuter Calcutta Police used batons to push back angry spectators who threw oranges at the players’ enclosure when play was abandoned in Calcutta on the second day of the third cricket Test between India and England. Only 21 minutes’ play were ’ possible as India moved from four for 168

overnight to four for 176. Play was halted with the Eden Gardens Stadium shrouded in drizzle and the light dimmed by low clouds. It was the first time for 20 years that play had been abandoned at the ground. Play started 42 minutes late because of the light and India’s overnight batsmen, Ravi Shastri and Mohammed Azharuddin, were clearly unhappy when the umpires decided the game could restart. However, Azharuddin was sufficiently settled to drive the England fast bowler Norman Cowans to the boundary before the umpires ordered the players back into the pavilion. As the drizzle continued, most of the capacity 80.000 crowd left the stadium. But a number of dedicated spectators were unhappy at the decision to call off play with several hours remaining, and pelted the players’ enclosure with oranges and other objects.

Police rushed them with batons and drove the spectators out of the ground. ’Hie rain was likely to lea’jfe England in a difficult

position when they bat as the pitch, which had been easy paced, was expected to prove difficult after the rain. INDIA First innings (4/168) S. M. Gavaskar c Gatting b Edmonds 13 A. D. Gaekwad c Downton b Cowans 18 D. B. Vengsarkar b Edmonds 48 M. B. Amarnath c Cowdrey b Edmonds 42 M. Azharuddin not out . . 21 R. J. Shastri not out .. . 26 Extras (lb 6 nb2) 8 Total (for 4 wkts) 176 Fall of wickets: 28. 35, 126, 127. Bowling.—R. M. Ellison 28. 12. 49, 0; N. G. Cowans 17, 6. 45, 1; P. H. Edmonds 23, 12, 40. 3: P. I. Pocock 20. 7, 36, 0.