Still plenty to play for

WE'RE HERE TO HEAR TIGERS ROAR: Visually impaired children from Blind Education and Rehabilitation Development Organisation in Mirpur were taken to the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday to give them some taste of cricket on the first day of the second Test between Bangladesh and New Zealand. The kids were unlucky as the day's play was rained off without a ball bowled due to persistent rain.Photo: Anisur Rahman

Incessant rain forced a call-off of the first day's play of the second and final Test between Bangladesh and New Zealand at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.
Although the drainage system of the 'home of cricket' has been outstanding, but the rain was so persistent that the groundstaff even could not get the chance to pull off the covers from the pitch.
The official conformation of a 'first day washout' came at 12.30pm following an academic inspection by umpires Daryl Harper and Asoka de Silva along with match referee Javagal Srinath.
The bad news for cricket fans is that inclement weather might also spoil the second day's play as the low over the Bay is turning into a depression with a forecast of heavy to very heavy rainfall during next twenty four hours.
It was frustrating for everybody after the fascinating one-day series and the first Test at Chittagong which was played under brilliant sunshine. Not only that everyone was expecting to see a good finish to the series where the Tigers looked more competitive than their previous contests against the Black Caps.
The Tigers secured their first-ever ODI victory against New Zealand when they won the first match by seven wickets and then pushed their opponents in the next two one-day matches and the first Test in Chittagong where the visitors bounced back brilliantly to snatch the three-wicket victory to lead the series 1-0.
"As a team so far we played good cricket in the series and we were expecting plenty of action after running them (New Zealand) very close at Chittagong. It's frustrating that the first day play was washed out," said Bangladesh skipper Mohammad Ashraful.
Bangladesh players made some practice in the in the Indoors yesterday.
Ashraful said that he was expecting some action on Day Two, adding that the toss would be vital.
"The toss is always important in a Test and it will be much more vital after losing one day. The wicket will be under cover for around 72 hours. There will be moisture. Lets see, till now we have won the toss in three out of four matches," he added.
Bangladesh skipper was not ready to write off the fate of the match as yet.
"If you look at Test cricket you'll see most matches ended in four days. Although the last match (Chittagong Test) rolled on to five days, there is still four more days to go in this match and anything can happen," he said.
"Considering the day's conditions, there could have been a definite extra bowler. If the condition remains the same, we'll think about that. There is moisture on the wicket and it'll take two and a half hours to dry out. A batsman will be dropped if ultimately we considered an additional pacer " he said.
Meanwhile, the organizers announced that spectators holding day one tickets can enter the stadium through designated gates on day two with the same ticket and school students will be allowed free entry but they must be in school uniform in order to get in.