English weather wins Trent Bridge Test

The English weather won the 1st test at Trent Bridge between India and England. It rained almost all day to prevent a resumption on the fifth and final day, thereby denying a positive outcome to a match tantalisingly poised at close of play on the fourth day.

Under the revised points system announced by the International Cricket Council for the 2021-2023 second edition of the World Test Championship, both sides took away four points each from the draw.

The total points accumulated at the end of the cycle will be divided by the number of tests played by a team to determine standings and thereby, the finalists for the climax of the competition. Had there been a decisive conclusion, the winning XI would have been awarded 12 points, and a tie would have fetched six points apiece.

Ironically the announcement over the public address system at 3.49 p.m. local time calling off the match came just as the sun filtered through the clouds. But the outfield was too wet to render it fit for proceedings within a reasonable period. At least four hours of play were necessary to force a result.

Historically, climate-wise, the odds were against favourable conditions. According to worldweatheronline.com, Trent Bridge experiences an average of 63 mm of precipitation in August and 22 days of rainfall. This is virtually neck-and-neck with June, which records an average rainfall of 63.9 mm of precipitation and 20 days of rain. These are the two wettest months in the calendar for the venue.

September is, in fact, a better bet for a Trent Bridge test. The average precipitation for this month is 34.2 mm and 15 days of rainfall.

India needed 157 runs to win with nine wickets in hand. Both Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara were batting on 12. It was not going to be easy as there was still enough in the pitch to assist England's four swing and seam bowlers. But India were favourites.

Now the scene shifts to Lord's, London, where the battle for supremacy in the five-test series will resume on August 12.