Play was lost on Day 2 of the 4th Test due to a soggy outfield, and with more bad weather on the way for Sunday, could it end up being an unfit playing field that prevents there being a result in this Test match?
Assuming we get an uninterrupted day of play today (Saturday) at Old Trafford, will it be that the result will have to be forced today? As stupid as that may sound, it is a possibility.
The outfield at Old Trafford was unfit to use yesterday evening after the latest deluge, so with a month’s rain forecast to fall on Sunday (Day 4), how can we be sure that the ground will be fit for play on Monday (Day 5)?
The Old Trafford outfield has looked more like a lake on a couple of occasions over the past two to three weeks, and as good as any drainage system may be, there is only so much water it can take.
Could there be the option to cover the offending area on Sunday? Maybe, I’m not a groundsman. It does sounds like common sense to cover up the area, but I don’t know if covering up a swamp like area may make it worse, due to the ground sweating, etc. Only time will tell there.
England are 2/5 to win this Test match, at the moment that sounds a bit too risky to me. The draw is a best price of 5/2 with bet365, while India are 12/1 to pull off what would have looked like a very unlikely victory when they were 8/4 on Day 1.
If you are trading the Test match on Betfair, laying England with a view to backing them could be the best trading option here.
If they bat too long and look like like taking time out of the game, they may drift. If it rains they will drift, and if they lose wickets, they may drift – be wary of the losing wickets scenario though, as the market may see this as a quicker way of getting a result, and this might not result in the price swings you may expect.
