First day washout dents West Indies' preparations

Hove (England), May 6 (IANS/CMC) The bumpy start of the West Indies tour of England continued Saturday when rain forced the abandonment of the first day of their opening tour game against Sussex.

Heavy overnight and morning rain left the Probiz County Ground damp and while conditions had cleared significantly by 9 a.m., the umpires called off play at 1.40 p.m., denting the tourists' preparations for the first Test at Lord's.

Captain Darren Sammy remained upbeat despite the setback, noting the Windies were prepared for the struggles with the wet English weather.

'Everybody wants to get on the park but that is the weather. We don't have control over that,' Sammy said.

'We are not in the Caribbean where it is nice and warm. This is England where it is going to be cold so we have programmed our minds to get over it.

'I am quite used to these conditions but it has been a while since we have played cricket here. Most of the guys have experience here. It is England. You know it is going to be cold. The ball's going to sting your hands.'

With the disappointment of the washout, it also emerged Saturday that West Indies were without three members of its touring party because of visa and travel issues.

Guyanese batsmen Narsingh Deonarine and Assad Fudadin have been held up in Jamaica sorting out visa problems while Jamaican all-rounder Marlon Samuels was reported to be en route from India where he has been campaigning in the Indian Premier League.

The adverse weather, which has wreaked havoc on the start of the new County Championship season, has also plagued the Windies since they arrived here Wednesday.

It confined them to an indoor session Thursday and subjected them to frigid temperatures Friday despite a three-hour workout.

The three-day match against Sussex is one of two tour matches before the first Test, with West Indies scheduled to face England Lions - the country's A side - in a four-day match at Northampton starting next Thursday.

--IANS/CMC

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