Windy even for Wellington
Tamim Iqbal was very much correct to say that had it been any other ground in the cricket world the game could not have been played in such windy conditions.
“When you are batting there it will feel like someone was pulling you from behind. The good thing was that we got the permission from the match officials that we can move away any time if we feel uncomfortable against the wind. You will not find a second place in the world where cricket is played in such a windy situation,” the Bangladesh opener quipped.
And how windy the Basin Reserve was during the stop-start opening day's play of the first Test cannot be gauged if you were not there.
Those who watched the game on TV sets perhaps wondered why they were watching the proceedings from one end of the wicket like the olden days. It was because the cameras posted at the other end could not be operated due to the strong wind, as the cameramen were perched atop scaffolding and it was perilous to continue operating from that position. The pitch cover was removed after the second rain break. But the ground staff had to endure a really tough time to fold that white canvas. While they were wrestling to fold it the wind attacked in force and for a moment it looked like the canvas turned into a big kite that was about to take off into the sky with as many as four people desperately clinging onto its edges.
The bails were dislodged on numerous occasions and the batsmen were allowed to withdraw from their stance any time while taking guard. Sitting inside the grandstand you may not be subject to that vigorous push, but you can still listen to the clattering of metal and other objects and that spine-chilling whistling of air, something heard in Bangladesh when there is a storm in full force. For the last four days we were feeling the pinch in windy Wellington. But Thursday was exceptional and we were struggling to walk straight as we came out of the hotel to get into a taxi parked nearby.
It was more embarrassing for me when I opened the door and was about to close it after getting inside. The door was pushed vehemently by the wind and got stuck to another car parked next to our taxi cab. The driver of the other car came out with a stone-faced expression but spared my blushes, perhaps in the understanding that the offender is not familiar with these windy conditions. The driver, who was taking us to Basin Reserve, also admitted that the wind was more forceful than on an average day in windy Wellington.
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