Frustrated by the constant rain interruption in the three-match ODI series, New Zealand’s stand in skipper Kyle Mills on Saturday slammed the tour scheduling in October and November.
Sri Lanka experience heavy rains due to inter monsoon conditions during this period but unlike in the first inter monsoon season, the influence of weather system like depression and cyclones in the Bay of Bengal is common during the second inter monsoon season where showers or thunder showers could be experienced in all parts of the country.
“This is the second year we’ve been to Sri Lanka in the month of November and every game last year was also affected by rain,” Mills said in frustration.
The series opener was washed out while the second and third ODI’s were reduced to 23 and 33 overs respectively due to rain.
“Any cricketer gets frustrated when there’s rain. For every game to get affected is a bit disappointing for both teams and everyone involved, including the spectators, the fans and everyone who has a stake in the game,” he added.
Mills also took a shot at cricket officials for robbing them of a possible series win as they scheduled the time of close of play after sun set in the day game.
“The scheduled close of play after sunset does not make a lot of sense to me. It’s a bitter pill to swallow,” Mills said.
“It’s not the first time this happened, but for a day game to have a scheduled close of play after sunset where obviously it’s not possible to play – it doesn’t sound like common sense to me. Especially, when we fought our way into the match and were in a position to win it. We were in a better position today than we were in the last game, which we won,” Mills explained.
The original scheduled time to end was at 5:45, but was extended by 15 minutes after two rain interruptions. Play was called off in very dim conditions at around 5:40 when New Zealand were 90 runs short of winning the match with eight overs and four wickets left. By then James Neesham and Nathan McCullum had put on a brisk 63 off 36 balls for the seventh wicket and were cruising smoothly when the umpires decided to call it off due to bad light.
“We were told 33 overs and we were expecting the bat 33. But we were aware that it was going to get dark not long after 5:30 and we probably weren’t going to get our full allotment of overs in.
“I feel like we were slightly done in that situation. To not get the opportunity to finish it off is a bitter pill to swallow. Whether we would have gone on to win or lose is not something I can answer, but it is frustrating,” he added.
New Zealand will play two T20 international at Pallekele on November 19 and 21 respectively.
