Shane Warne, the former Australia legspinner, has blasted the timings and conditions in the England vs Pakistan Test in Southampton that was affected by rain and bad light.
The England vs Pakistan Test at the Rose Bowl in Southampton was impacted by bad weather and rain on all the five days, resulting in the shortest Test match in terms of balls bowled in England for 33 years. Both England and Pakistan were the teams involved in 1987 when their Test match in Lord’s was impacted by rain. The constant stoppages due to bad light has drawn the ire of former Australia legspinner Shane Warne, who has blasted the ICC for the ‘ridiculous’ time constraints imposed during Test matches. Warne pointed out an instance when play was delayed and only an hour of action was possible before players headed for the lunch break which lasted for 40 minutes.
Speaking to a TV channel, Warne said, “I think one of the biggest things that could be changed is the timings, so that we don’t always have to have the lunch break around that right time. Why can’t when we’ve been sitting around all morning for a start and we come out at 12.30, why not take lunch at 3 o’clock? When the conditions are right, I think we should be maximising the time of play, I think it’s ridiculous these short little breaks, you’ve been waiting around all day, all morning and then you only go out there for an hour then you’re off for 40 minutes again. I think that’s one of the biggest changes that should be made the conditions and the laws,” Warne said.
Big changes required
The whole of day 3 was impacted by rain and the umpires made the decision to abandon play after tea. However, bright sunshine was at the ground but the outfield was considered too wet for play to continue. Former England captain Nasser Hussain stressed on greater flexibility as teams are playing cricket at a time when the coronavirus pandemic has stalled action all over the world.
“These are unusual times. Everyone has been in quarantine. Countries have flown over and sacrificed a lot to go into quarantine. People have gone into bubbles for weeks. Jack Leach has been in a bubble for weeks without playing cricket. And when you have the opportunity to play, and the world is watching, do everything you can do to stay on and not have the old mindset of doing everything you can to go off. It is time we changed our mindset as a sport,” Hussain said.
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 "Shane Warne, England v Pakistan, ENG vs PAK, Test Cricket, Australia")
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