Day 1 of Indian tour match called off

India's attempts to get out on the field in between international fixtures were again thwarted in East London on Saturday when the first day's play in the four-day match against a South African A team was called off because of a wet outfield.

The abandonment follows the loss of all three days of the match against a President's XI in Chatsworth two weeks ago for similar reasons.

Heavy overnight rain left soggy patches in several areas around the table and after two inspections umpires Ian Howell and Craig Schoof decided there was no point in keeping the players at the ground any longer.

Apart for the disruption to India's preparations for the second Test match in Port Elizabeth, what is also of concern is the fact that the Buffalo Park ground does not possess equipment such as a Super Sopper to deal with situations such as this. Three World Cup matches, including a Super Six game, are scheduled to be played in East London in 2003.