'Total disgrace': Cricket world rages over 'ridiculous' Test farce

Cricket fans were left fuming once again on Saturday when the second day of the World Test Championship final between India and New Zealand was ruined by bad light.

After Friday's first day was washed out without a ball bowled, India were 3-146 when the third stoppage of the day led to an early stumps even though the floodlights were on full beam.

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Just 64.4 overs were bowled on Saturday before the second day's enthralling play was frustratingly cut short after tea with 33.2 overs remaining.

India captain Virat Kohli held firm in the face of accurate New Zealand pace bowling as the inaugural World Test Championship final at Southampton eventually got underway.

Kohli was 44 not out at the close of play, with the star batsman having hit just one boundary in 124 balls faced.

Meanwhile, Ajinkya Rahane was 29 not out after adding an unbroken 58 for the fourth wicket with Kohli.

Towering Kiwi quick Kyle Jamieson ended the day with remarkable figures of 1-14 in 14 overs.

However it was the farcical scenes that ended the day's play that remained the talking point at stumps, with cricket fans around the world blasting the ICC for opting to play the crucial match in England.

Indian cricket fans were particularly unimpressed, labelling the ICC's decision "ridiculous" and "disgraceful".

The match can be extended into a sixth day should match referee Chris Broad decide that's the only way to make-up time lost to bad weather.

But with more rain forecast for the third and fourth days, the chances of a result are slim.

The one-off Test match will see the winner walk away with AU$2.14 million, while the losers will receive $1.07m.

The trophy and prize-money will be shared in the result of a draw.

Test Championship final heading for anti-climactic draw

Jamieson reckoned neither side had taken control after he led the Black Caps' efforts in the field.

"It's probably pretty even at the moment. It was a pretty good day of Test cricket," he said.

"The plan was to stick around outside off and credit to them, they played pretty well. But I think we were able to keep things relatively restricted and grabbed three important wickets as well."

The final got under way on Saturday after New Zealand won the toss and backed their strengths by leaving out spinner Ajaz Patel and plumping for an all-pace attack plus seam-bowling allrounder Colin de Grandhomme.

The decision to insert India looked good for the overcast conditions and slow outfield, but their batsmen started off with far more authority despite spending most of their build-up in quarantine and missing a warm-up match.

Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma combined for 62 until the depth of New Zealand's attack, tuned up by dominating England in two Tests, came through when Jamieson and Neil Wagner took them out late in the first session.

Cheteshwar Pujara took 36 balls to get off the mark and was trapped by Trent Boult on eight, but captain Kohli and Rahane led India to tea and through the 11 overs afterwards.

Boult bagged Pujara with an in-swinger and looked to have Kohli in the same over, edging behind down the leg side on 17.

Umpire Richard Illingworth referred it to the TV umpire, who decided Kohli made no contact with the ball.

India wore black armbands in honour of the country's celebrated sprinter, Milkha Singh, who died at age 91 late Friday after complications from COVID-19.

with agencies

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