Day 1 of the third Test between Australia and India looks set to cost Cricket Australia millions, after heavy rain at the Gabba saw much of the day’s play washed out.
Just 13.2 overs were possible to begin the Test, with more rain expected on Sunday, as Australia mustered 0/28 before play was halted, and eventually scrapped for the day, midway through the opening session.
The wild weather makes for a bitter blow to CA’s bottom line, with Day 1 of the Test billed as a full house and an official attendance recorded as 30,145.
Day one of the third Test between Australia and India saw heavy rain at the Gabba. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
CA policy is for full refunds to be awarded to patrons for any match or day’s play where fewer than 15 overs are bowled, meaning had just ten more balls been bowled by India, fans would have been left out of pocket despite seeing far fewer than the slated 90 overs that constitutes a full day.
Despite the Gabba’s lauded drainage system, heavy rain left the famous ground resembling a lake throughout the day, with up to 4cm of rain falling in just one hour at the height of the downpour.
It took until 4:15pm local time, nearly four and a half hours after play was stopped, for stumps to officially be called.
To make up for lost time, play will start half an hour early at 10:50am (AEDT) for the remaining four days of the match – though with more rain forecast, the draw is now the comfortable favourite result according to bookmakers.
A looming draw at the Gabba is bad news for Australia, who need to win the series outright to regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time since 2017.
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Not since January 2012 have they beaten India in Tests at either the MCG or SCG, the venues for the final two Tests of the series; both were drawn during the 2014/15 series, while India won in Melbourne and had much the better of a draw in Sydney in 2018/19, before again winning in Melbourne and holding on to draw in Sydney during the 2020/21 series.