BANGALORE, DEC 9: On the first two days it was the soggy conditions at the M Chinnaswamy stadium that hindered play, but it was bad light that halted play on the third day of the five-day Duleep Trophy semifinal tie between defending champions Central Zone and East Zone at the M Chinnaswamy stadium heretoday.Rains and soggy conditions have been depriving the teams of a healthy competition. Overnight showers delayed the start and the umpires R Nagarajan (Goa) and S K Sharma (Mumbai) after four inspection decided on a 4 p.m.startEast resuming at their overnight score of 30 for no loss lost a wicket in the form of Shiv Sundar Das (16). But barely 40 minutes after the match started, the bastmen Nikhil Haldipur and Debang Gandhi complained of bad light and the umpires upheld the appeal. The umpires were reluctant to use the light meter.Haldipur on 27 and Gandhi on 13 were at the crease when when play was called off for the day with the East socre reading 59-1.The first day was washed out without a ball being bowled while only 65 minutes of play was possible on the second day.ScoreboardEast Zone (1st innings; overnight 30-0):S S Das c Mudgal b Pandey 16, Nikhil Haldipur batting 27, Debang Gandhi batting 13; Extras: (nb2, lb1) 3. Total (for one wicket in 27.1 overs) 59.Fall of wicket: 1-30.Bowling: Pandey 10-5-25-1, Bangar 7.1-2-15-0, Gandhe 5-2-9-0, Hirwani 3-1-6-0, Karthik 2-1-3-0Play washed outVISAKHAPATNAM: The opening day's play in the five-day Duleep Trophy cricket match between South and West Zone scheduled to begin at the Steel Plant Stadium today has been washed out due to heavy rain since early this morning.The match for the day could not be started as the out-field was completely soaked and has become slushy and unfit for play.
