Persistent rainfall in  Georgetown yesterday forced match officials of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) President’s Cup match between Trinidad and Tobago and Canada  to call off the match.

All Washed Out! Match Referee, Grantley Culbard (second left) points to the pitch as he briefs the two captains Daren Ganga, right and Sunil Dhaniram second right on the position. Others in picture are umpires Clyde Duncan, far left, Daveteerth Anandjit, centre and Clancy Mack on Anandjit’s right. (Aubrey Crawford photo)

So persistent was the downpour that Umpires Clyde Duncan and Clancy Mack, along with third umpire Daveteerth Anandjit and  match referee Grantley Culbard waited for just under four hours before making their first inspection.
There was absolutely no need for another.

Just about 12:58pm, the officials declared that the pitch was not fit for play.
“It is not good,” was Duncan’s candid assessment of the water which seeped under the covers and onto the pitch.
The four match officials then called the two captains, Daren Ganga of Trinidad and Tobago and Sunil Dhaniram of Canada to the centre and explained the repercussions involved in going ahead with the match.

Speaking to Stabroek Sports, Duncan said that the factors to take into consideration was that there was “a soggy outfield, seepage under the covers and that the run up for the bowlers at the Southern end was wet and slippery”.

Culbard added that…“If there was sun and wind the possibility existed that the match could have been reduced considerably but still played.”
Culbard stated that latest possible time that the match could have started was 14:15 hours to have a recognized match.
Managers of the Trinidad and Canada sides, Colin Borde and Mike Henry respectively, were of the opinion that it was an act of God which nothing could change.

According to Borde the outcome has put his side in somewhat of a disadvantageous position.
Borde said that T&T will have to up their game in the final two matches against the United States of America (USA) and the Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) to make it into the semi-finals. Henry said that the whole situation was most unfortunate especially since he felt that his team had the Trinidadians “covered,” because of the fact that many of the Trinidad players play cricket in Canada.

Henry, whose team will come up against defending champion Jamaica and host nation Guyana in their final two matches, is still optimistic that they can move forward in the tournament despite the fact that they only have one point from two games.
Trinidad and Tobago though have moved to six points.